Beauty and the Hanyou
by Mishelledor23
Summary: Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, but Inuyasha style! The terrible half-demon prince Inuyasha is under a fifty-year old curse that keeps him trapped inside his castle. Can Kagome, the reluctant miko-in-training become his friend? Maybe even his love? InuXKag, MirXSan. Lemons and language in later chapters!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me, neither does Beauty and the Beast. I know that this has been done a million times, but I'm not just dropping them into the Disney film or anything, I hope what I've come up with is creative and enjoyable so make sure to R&R! :D

* * *

Kagome brushed her dark hair out of her face and let out a long breath.

"I know I said I want to be a priestess, but that doesn't make this job smell any better." She said out loud to no one. Her mentor and substitute grandmother Kaede was a knowledgeable teacher and a loving woman, but any affection she held for Kagome had no bearing on her training; she was worked to exhaustion almost every day. The elderly woman had taken Kagome in three years ago after her mother, brother and grandfather had been slaughtered by bandits. Petrified, and alone, Kagome had fled the only home she'd ever known and eventually ended up in the territory of Inuyasha, the demon prince. From what she heard, she'd gotten very, very lucky.

The people here lived their lives in tentative peace. No one had even glimpsed him in over fifty years, yet it was impossible to forget that this land and everything in it belonged to him. There was no end to the stories about him. Opinions varied on whether he was worse than his older brother Sesshomaru, the demon king. Sesshomaru's territory was vast and he ruled it with an iron fist.

Kagome had never seen him, but he was rumoured to be a breathtakingly handsome man with long silver hair and piercing golden eyes. He was so powerful that demon armies were said to drop to their knees and surrender at the mere sight of him. Kagome had her doubts as to whether that was true or not, but she was certain of one thing; he was by no means a kind person, but he didn't waste time throwing his weight around. If the humans in his territory stayed in line, King Sesshomaru paid them little mind. He was respected and feared.

But Inuyasha was different. He was called the demon prince, but everyone knew the truth even if they didn't dare voice it; Inuyasha was only a half-demon. Constantly needing to prove himself, he'd thrown away every ounce of humanity he could in order to gain power. Anyone that angered him was never seen again. The last woman to incur his wrath, a priestess from many years ago had been fed to the wolves as punishment. In disbelief and horror, Kagome had asked what crime the priestess had committed, but Kaede said she didn't know and it didn't matter; the only way to survive was to stay invisible. His vassals were seen sometimes, they came around every month to bargain for food and supplied and collected the tithe once a year.

Kagome shook her head to clear it, she'd just remembered why she was doing this smelly job in the first place. Today was the day the prince's servants arrived to purchase everything from fabric to food to Kaede's specialty medicines. The one Kagome was working on, the one that had her up to her forearms in an herb paste that smelled like unwashed men was for disinfecting and healing cuts. She glanced at the sky, trying to get an idea of how much time she had left. She wasn't good at this on the sunniest of days, but when thick clouds cast everything in grey, she was forced to make a guess. Inuyasha's men usually arrived midday and asked for all the villagers to assemble in the town square. She groaned in annoyance, if she hurried she could have the medicine ready, but she'd have no time to make herself look presentable.

She would be the last to arrive. Jar tucked securely under her arm, Kagome made her way to the town square and pointedly ignored all the people that- some more discretely than others- wrinkled their noses at the smell of her. Let them. In their tiny village, she may have been the only single girl of marriageable age but there wasn't a one man whom she cared to impress. Priestesses never married anyway.

She could make out the long grey ponytail and hunched form of her mentor and went to stand beside her. Kaede chuckled when she approached.

"If ye had started that task when I first said…"

"Yes, I know." Kagome said irritably. "Aren't you used to it by now?"

"Aye. And soon, you will be too. But in the meantime," One of her eyes was covered with a patch, but the other one looked impishly around the crowd, "everyone else must suffer. Sometimes I wonder if ye do it on purpose."

Kagome harrumphed. This was a fairly common topic of conversation between the two of them. It wouldn't do for a priestess to be squeamish, and there was often little time for beautifying oneself, but Kaede couldn't help but find it suspicious that Kagome was never in a hurry to comb the tangles out of her thick black hair, or scrub the stains out of her miko robes. The old woman was convinced that her apprentice was actively trying to discourage male attention. Not that she blamed her, there was a reason the unmarried men in this village were unmarried. Kagome hotly denied such behaviour every time, insisting that she was simply dedicated to her training.

For such a pretty, kind-hearted girl that got along with everyone, it saddened Kaede to see that she didn't have any true friends. No matter how often she offered Kagome time off, the girl stubbornly refused to form any bonds. The death of her family ad affected her more than she'd ever admit, so Kaede did her best to keep her mind occupied.

The rumbling wagons and neighing of the prince's horses signaled the approach of his caravan. Everyone stood at attention, silent and ready. The wagon pulled up and two men emerged. Kagome tensed. They may have looked human, but no one was fooled; these two men were demons. Wolf demons to be exact, by the names of Ginta and Hakkaku. They had never harmed anyone as far as she knew, but you couldn't help but be intimidated by the feral glint in their eyes or the dried blood under their nails. Both wore similar uniforms of armour and fur pelts, but Ginta had grey hair with a darker patch in the middle while Hakkaku was bald, apart from the white hair he'd styled into spikes. Demon fashion? She didn't know and honestly, didn't care.

"Good people." Hakkaku said, "We are here for our usual supplies and will pay the usual price. But today, we are seeking something else as well. Master Inuyasha has requested that one unmarried lass be brought back to the castle with us. The girl's family will be richly rewarded."

The reaction was quiet but not unnoticeable. Husbands clutched their wives. Young girls hid behind their mothers. All eyes landed on Kagome and they inched away from her, leaving a wide circle around them. Kaede moved in front of her, as if her wizened body could provide any sort of shield.

"Please," she beseeched the two youkais, "Kagome is my apprentice, she will be the new priestess of this village one day, and priestesses do not marry."

Ginta approached with his arms crossed, claws tapping against his muscled bicep.

"But she isn't a priestess yet." He clarified, eyes daring Kaede to argue. Kagome got a sudden, vivid mental image of those tapping claws ripping into the old woman's neck for her defiance. She placed a shaking hand on Kaede's shoulder.

"I will go." She said, "Please give the reward to her."

Kagome bent down just far enough to meet Kaede's eye and took one of her wrinkled hands.

"I'll be fine. The money should be plenty for you to hire some help until you find another apprentice."

"Kagome, don't do this." Kaede pleaded. But they both knew she didn't really have a choice; what Prince Inuyasha wanted, he got. End of story. At least this way, Kaede would able to manage.

They hugged, holding each other tightly for as long as they could. A large bag of clinking coins was dropped unceremoniously at Kaede's feet and Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Time to go, girl." Ginta told her firmly. Blinking back tears, Kagome stood and walked towards the now packed wagon.

She refused to look back. She didn't want to see the poorly concealed relief on the faces of the villagers. Some might be genuinely sad for her, but most were just happy it wasn't them meeting this fate. She climbed into the wagon and sat in the little space she could find among the cargo.

 _I suppose I'm a piece of cargo too._ She thought bitterly. The doors closed, and she was left in darkness.

As the wood rattled and thumped beneath her, Kagome was struck by the realization that she'd probably never see Kaede again. Drawing her knees up to her chin, Kagome hugged herself tightly and allowed the tears to fall.

* * *

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

* * *

Kagome didn't have any idea how much time had passed when the wagon came to a stop. When the door opened, she raised a hand to shield her eyes from the intrusive light.

"Taking a break," Hakkaku said gruffly, "Thought you might be hungry." He carelessly tossed her a turnip.

 _Yum._

But, deciding that annoying the wolf-demons would be a foolish course of action, Kagome mumbled a thank you and took a bite. Apparently satisfied, they sat down to gnaw at the dried meat they'd packed.

"Are you, uh, comfortable enough?" Ginta asked awkwardly, "It's pretty cold where we are going, we can dig out a blanket if you need one."

Kagome blinked in surprise, they cared about her comfort? She looked around. They were on an incline, surrounded by trees as far as she could see. Ahead of her, the snow-capped mountain peaks loomed, backed by a stormy grey sky. Was that where they were headed?

"A blanket would be nice, thank you." She murmured. After a moment's hesitation, she plucked up the courage to ask the burning question that had been in her head since they'd left.

"What does he want with me?"

The wolves stared at her like she'd grown a second head. Ginta shook his head in exasperation.

"Well, let's think," Hakkaku said, "What do men usually want with women?"

It took everything in Kagome's power not to make a gay joke. They were always seen together, after all. Her father had often said her smart mouth would be the cause of her misery. Jokes aside, the prospect of being shipped off to become a half-demon's sexual plaything did not sit well with her. She supposed that she really shouldn't have been surprised, they _had_ stipulated that it be an unmarried woman they were to bring back. She clutched the turnip in her hands, keeping her eyes down.

 _You did this for Kaede, not anyone else._ She silently reminded herself.

"Hey, try not to worry." Ginta said, noticing her discomfort, "He's good at it from what I've heard."

"Yeah, yeah!" Hakkaku piped up, "Just pretend you haven't heard any of the stories about him and you should be fine."

"What do you mean by that?" Kagome asked in a small voice. The wolf demons shared a look, suddenly uncomfortable. Ginta cleared his throat before answering.

"The Master uh, doesn't like being reminded of the rumours." He said delicately. Beside him, Hakkaku nodded vigorously.

The conversation ended there. As promised, Hakkaku rummaged through their cargo until he produced a blanket, which he gave to her. Kagome offered a quiet thank you that he acknowledged with a grunt. She wrapped it around herself and took a deep breath; it smelled like home. The doors closed, shutting her in darkness once again. She raked a hand through her hair, chanting a mantra to herself to try and stay calm.

 _Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe I can escape at some point. Maybe if it gets really bad, I'll piss him off on purpose just to make it end. Ooh, if he turns out to be not very smart, maybe I can get some good practical jokes in before I die…_

She amused herself with this train of thought until she drifted off to sleep. Despite only being the afternoon, it was hard to stay awake in this blackness. Even the rocking motion of the wagon seemed less jarring.

* * *

She awoke to Hakkaku roughly shaking her shoulder. They had arrived. Kagome allowed the wolves to help her down, but her eyes scanned their surroundings, taking in as much as possible. The castle was large, but her keen eyes noticed that it was not in pristine condition. Some of the wood of the outer decks and railings were rotting and broken. A tattered flag on the roof braved the blistering wind. The snow was ankle deep and blew in sparkling gusts around her. She shivered and pulled the blanket closer. Already her toes were beginning to go numb.

"What are you two numbskulls doing?" A woman's voice shouted in disbelief, "Can't you see she's cold? Carry her inside at once!" The wolves stammered apologies and Kagome instantly found herself scooped off the ground and carried inside by Ginta. Once inside, Hakkaku slammed the door closed, perhaps harder than necessary. Ginta gently put Kagome down and joined Hakkaku in bowing to the woman that had spoken. Kagome stayed standing, aware that she was being rude. She surveyed the woman before her.

She looked to be Kagome's age, perhaps a year or two older with long chestnut hair and kind brown eyes accentuated by a sweep of purple eyeshadow. She wore a simple pink kimono with a green skirt and offered Kagome a smile and a small bow.

"My name is Sango. On behalf of his Highness and all the staff here, we welcome you." To the wolves, she asked, "You made the journey as comfortable as possible?"

"Yes ma'am." Hakkaku answered, "We gave her a snack halfway here, but didn't want to risk spoiling her dinner, ma'am!" Kagome bit back a smile and offered a slight bow of her own.

"My name is Kagome." Despite herself, she already liked this Sango; she'd have to ask later how she got these two rough looking demons to address her like an army general. Sango bowed again.

"We are at your disposal, Lady Kagome, if you will allow me, I'll escort you to your room." Nodding dumbly, Kagome followed. Casting a sneaky glance over her shoulder, she noticed that Ginta and Hakkaku stayed in position until Sango was out of sight. Another sneaky look at Sango's ears told her that Sango was no demon. The demon prince had humans in his employ? Polite, pleasant, humans?

She followed Sango through the winding halls of the estate, afraid to blink and miss something. Everything she saw could be described as beautiful when it was new, but had since fallen into a state of disrepair. Sango stopped in front of a set of sliding doors and Kagome nearly crashed into her. She opened the door and stepped inside.

Kagome's jaw dropped open. The room was in perfect condition. The hardwood floor had been polished until it shone. Lanterns bathed the room in a gentle, flickering light. Though the doors were closed, it appeared she had a balcony of her own. There was the largest, most comfortable looking futon she'd ever laid eyes on. Even the pillow looked soft! Sango gave a soft snort of amusement at the amazement on Kagome's face.

"Not what you expected?" She asked wryly. Kagome blushed, snapped out of her reverie.

"Oh! Erm, no, I guess not." She admitted.

"Would you care for a bath before dinner?" Sango offered. Kagome's blush deepened, remembering that she hadn't had a chance it wash off the odour of the medicine from this morning. Had it really only been this morning? It felt like so much longer. She nodded and let Sango lead her to the bath house.

"If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to let myself or any of the servants know." Sango told her as they walked. "If it's within our power, anything you ask for will be given to you. We truly do want you to be happy here."

"And if what I want is my freedom?" Kagome asked. This all sounded too good to be true, there had to be a catch somewhere, she was sure of it. What were they trying to hide behind all the pretty words? Sango's hand froze on the door. When she turned, her brown eyes were so sad that Kagome almost apologized for asking such a rude question. She had volunteered for this, technically. Sango was just doing her job.

"Kagome, I know you don't want to be here. Everyone knows that. But you're not a prisoner here, honestly."

Kagome resisted the urge to say "really?" but silence seemed to have the same affect.

"Yes, really." Sango said, with a note of sarcasm lacing her tone, "Please, you've traveled a long way and you must be tired. Just stay for one night. Get clean and warm, enjoy the dinner we've prepared for you and if by tomorrow you still want to go home, I'm sure the Master will arrange it."

Kagome considered that for a heartbeat.

"Alright." She said finally, "Thank you for your help." She wasn't convinced that it was truly that simple, but Sango had a point; she was exhausted and practically starving to death.

A smile returned to Sango's face.

"I'll prepare your outfit for dinner, unless you require any further assistance?"

Kagome shook her head and stepped inside the bath house. It was so deliciously warm inside that she moaned out loud. The room had been constructed over a natural hot spring, but they'd added some delightful touches. A towel rack had been placed over a vent, allowing the steam to warm the towels. Handles had been installed to allow easier maneuvering. It was all rather luxurious, more than anything she'd ever experienced.

Laying her miko robes aside, Kagome sank into the water and almost cried. The steaming water was like a silken caress on her sore muscles. If she hadn't been on a timeline, she would probably never leave. Was there any greater joy in life than a hot bath? With a blissful smile, she set to work combing the tangles out of her hair.

* * *

Once the euphoria of the bath had faded, Kagome was back to feeling anxious and uncomfortable. She'd never looked so pretty in her life, Sango had selected a breathtaking purple and white kimono, patterned with butterflies and had helped her apply a delicate touch of makeup, just enough to draw attention to her heavily lashed eyes. The feast laid out on the table was making her mouth water-true all she'd eaten that day was a turnip, but this spread would smell good regardless. The room was spacious and beautiful, and a roaring fire kept the place comfortably warm. But she couldn't stop fidgeting.

She was about to meet a prince. A half-demon prince with an infamous temper. Who apparently wanted her for what "most men wanted with women" She felt sweat beading on her forehead and knew it had nothing to do with the fire.

 _I don't even know what a half-demon might look like, what kind of monster is this guy going to be?_

The door slid open, making her jump. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.

"Oh, my."

* * *

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me. I wish he did, but he doesn't.

* * *

All coherent thought sputtered to a stop. For a moment, Kagome forgot where she was, how to talk or even how to breathe.

 _That can't be him. That absolutely cannot be him._

He was tall and broad-shouldered, but lean. He wore red hakama pants and a red haori, protected by a shining black breastplate and tied with a yellow sash. Silver hair cascaded to his waist. Atop his head, two pointy dog ears were swiveled towards her. But his eyes…his eyes were captivating. Burnished gold, the firelight made them seem to glow. As he slowly walked towards her, Kagome idly thought that this is how someone must feel coming face to face with a wolf, so taken by their silent beauty and grace that you forgot that it was about to kill you. His lips drew back in a smile, showing a hint of fangs. His unblinking golden gaze was still fixed on her. When he took her hand, and pressed a kiss to it, Kagome felt like her body was on fire. Heat rushed to her cheeks. She couldn't have moved if she wanted to. His smooth voice made her shiver when he spoke.

"Welcome to my home, Lady Kagome. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Kagome tried to speak, but only managed a high-pitched squeak. He chuckled and took a step back from her, gesturing at the feast.

"Don't hold back, you must be hungry."

Kagome nodded dumbly and slowly dropped to her knees, still blushing hotly. He knelt across from her and began helping himself. The spot where he'd kissed her hand was still tingling. Trembling a little, she began to fill her plate.

The food helped with the return to her senses, but she dared not look him in the eye again. He talked as they ate, telling her that as an honored guest, she was free to roam about the castle as she liked, the servants were at her beck and call, the kitchen was always open, and other lulling sentiments. There had to be something she was missing!

"Um, your Highness?" She stammered, "May I ask you a question?" She took his inquisitive tilt of the head as permission to continue. She bit her lip; she knew she was pressing her luck today but couldn't resist.

"Why have you asked me here?"

He rested his elbows on the table and folded his hands under his chin. As he did this, she noticed that his fingers were tipped with elongated fingernails. Claws.

"My men didn't explain? I'll have to have a word with them. I've asked you here because I'm looking for a bride."

Kagome blushed and ducked her head. That sounded so much more respectable than how Hakkaku had put it, even if the outcome would be the same.

"However, I don't feel like marrying someone I don't like. I hope at the very least, we can be friends."

Kagome's heart began to race. Nothing was matching up. Could it be, the stories were wrong? Or was he just a really good actor? Her eyes dipped to his clawed hands. Since she was apparently feeling suicidal, might as well test the waters.

"What if I choose not to accept your offer?" For a heartbeat, he went very still. Kagome almost expected him to lunge.

His hands moved to the table and idly tapped the wood with an index finger. From anyone else, it would have seemed like a thoughtful, unconscious motion. From him, it seemed almost threatening.

"Then you will be escorted back to your village." He answered, "You are free to leave any time. I only ask that you don't leave without telling me; you could never survive the journey back alone."

Kagome took a sip of tea to hide her gulp of fear. He seemed to realize this and leaned a little closer towards her. His expression softened, seeming earnest.

"You're safe here. You don't have to be afraid."

"I'm sorry," She apologized, feeling the urge to keep the situation from escalating, "I've been rude, I haven't thanked you for your hospitality or even asked your name! I guess I was just expecting something…different."

"You know my name. And I know what you were expecting." His voice was quiet, but sharp. Kagome tensed and fell silent. Clearing his throat, he lightened his tone.

"My name is Inuyasha. All I'm trying to say is that I hope you can be happy here."

When she looked at him again, suddenly, he seemed less like an otherworldly predator and more like an awkward teenager on a date. Seeing this, something made Kagome offer him a genuine smile.

"I hope so too."

The rest of the meal was noticeably less tense. Pleasant even! There wasn't much conversation, but it left room for noticing things. The detail Kagome found herself fixating on, were the silken ears on his head. She silently decided that the first chance she got, she was going to rub them. They looked so soft, and the flicked at every noise, no matter how small. It was too cute!

When they finished, they stood and faced each other. He held out a hand, offering it to her. Blushing faintly, Kagome rested her hand in his, allowing him to lightly kiss it for the second time that night.

"Good night, Lady Kagome." He said. As he turned and left, Sango appeared out of seemingly nowhere to escort her back to her room.

* * *

Kagome managed to stay silent until Sango helped her out of her kimono and began folding it up.

"I'll stay." She blurted out. Sango looked at her in surprise, but there was happiness in her face as well.

"We are pleased to have you as our guest. So, he wasn't as bad as you thought?" Kagome flopped onto her futon and stretched her arms above her head.

"I have no idea what to think of him," She said honestly, "But I'm…curious to find out more."

Sango smiled.

"The Master seems very curious about you as well." She winked, "Good night Kagome." She slipped out of the room and closed the door. Kagome stared up at the ceiling; she had a lot of processing to do before she could even consider sleep.

* * *

Inuyasha opened the door to his bedroom and found himself face to face with two intruders. Sad that he wasn't at all surprised.

"So? How did it go? Out with it! And don't skimp on the details! Also, did you really wear your armour to dinner?"

"Shut up Miroku." Inuyasha grumbled, pushing past him, "Has anyone told you it's weird when you hide in my room?"

"I tell him every time, Inuyasha," Sango said, rubbing her temple, "But he never listens." Miroku turned to her and raised an eyebrow,

"Now my dear Sango, have you forgotten who hovered outside the dining room with her ear against the door?" Sango turned a delicate shade of pink and deigned not to answer. Inuyasha huffed and sat down on the floor, feigning annoyance. In truth, he was bursting at the seams with excitement. The monk sat down across from him with an eager expression on his boyish face. Sango retained a little more grace, but she was dying to hear more; this was the most interesting thing to happen in almost fifty years!

"I think she's going to stay." Inuyasha said breathlessly, letting his face split into a wide child-like smile. Miroku crossed his arms and beamed.

"And all because you did it like I told you to! Didn't I say turning on the demon charm was a good move? Didn't I?"

"You did." Sango said wearily, "But I still think that demon charm is cheating."

"What this?" Inuyasha asked innocently, switching it on. His golden eyes gleamed and his two friends shivered.

"Yeah, that! Now turn it off before I fall in love with you!" Miroku joked. Inuyasha shuddered, returning to normal.

"I can't think of anything worse. Sango, how do you stand it?" Sango shrugged her shoulders, ignoring the pout on her fiancé's face.

"And actually," Inuyasha said, awkwardly scratching his head, "I think I kinda freaked her out at first, she didn't warm up to me until later."

"But what did you think of her?" Miroku pressed. Inuyasha flopped onto his back and gazed up at the ceiling at the full moon and night sky that was painted there.

"She's brave, I'll give her that. And she's pretty but…" He trailed off, the happy smile fading from his face.

"But what?" Miroku asked, hovering over him. Sango tugged him back by his ear; he either had no concept of personal space or he just didn't care. Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha sat up.

"When I first saw Kagome…I thought she was…her." He admitted softly. Suddenly serious, Miroku placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You've got to stop thinking about her, understand? They are completely different people. The woman you are trying to romance is Kagome. Got it?"

Inuyasha nodded. He knew Miroku was right but…the resemblance really was unnerving.

"Kagome." He murmured.

* * *

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

* * *

Kagome woke up, flushed red and feverish. She pressed her hands to her heated cheeks and rolled onto her back.

Her dreams last night had been a far cry from her usual fare, but she couldn't say they were bad. They were quickly fading from the forefront of her mind, but she distinctly remembered glowing amber eyes and skin hotter than any human's should be. She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. The ceiling above her had been painted with a lovely mural of a large cherry tree over a river. Sitting up, she looked around. This room was beautiful and-Kagome gasped with delight, there was a fireplace and a book! Not that she could read very well, but she could learn!

Stories had long fascinated her. As a child, she had always been begging for her grandfather to tell her one more before she could go to sleep. He'd laugh, ruffle her hair and say that he could tell twenty stories and she still wouldn't be sleepy. The memory made her smile. What would her family say if they knew she was being wooed by a prince? Her smile faltered. Three years had passed, but there were days where it felt like it had happened yesterday. She heard a faint knock at the door.

"Come in!" Kagome called. The door slid open and Sango entered, carrying a tray of breakfast and tea.

"Good morning, Lady Kagome," Sango greeted, "The Master asked me to bring this to you."

She placed the tray on Kagome's bed and smiled warmly.

"He also said to tell you that you are free to spend your day however you wish, but that he'd be honoured if you would join him for lunch and allow him to take you on a tour of the grounds after." Kagome blinked and blushed.

"Um, sure. Tell him that would be nice. Please?"

Sango bowed and left, closing the door behind her. Kagome's stomach grumbled loudly. Kaede had often teased that Kagome's stomach controlled every aspect of her life. Kagome didn't see the problem with that, food was one of the greatest joys in life! Especially food like this; rice, beans, fruit, even a little bit of meat! She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from drooling.

"Maybe he's not that bad after all!" Kagome said to herself, happily lifting a piece of meat to her lips.

* * *

Inuyasha nearly pounced on Sango when she appeared.

"Well?" He asked anxiously. Sango bit back a smile; he looked two seconds away from wringing his hands. Truly adorable. But jokes aside, Sango was genuinely happy for him, he hadn't been this excited about anything for almost fifty years. In fact, he'd spent a fair portion of that time stuck in an inconsolable depression. Seeing someone so spirited and strong, reduced to that had been hard to watch, to put it lightly. Desperation had fueled her and Miroku into cooking up this scheme and talking Inuyasha into going along with it. Sure, it was a shot in the dark, but a slim chance was better than none.

"Her exact words were 'that would be nice'." Sango winked, "Looks like you made quite the impression." Inuyasha blushed, flattening his ears in embarrassment and playing shyly with his fingers.

"Want my advice?" She asked. She had to stifle another smile when his ears instantly perked up. "Don't listen to anything Miroku says and no demon charm, ok?"

"So, what do I do then?" Inuyasha asked, with a note of alarm in his voice. Sango crossed her arms and shook her head affectionately.

"That lecher has taught you nothing but bad habits," she said, "Ask her about herself, find out what she likes, find out what she doesn't like."

He still looked nervous, so she clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"You're the devilishly handsome demon prince Inuyasha, you can do this! Now make yourself look presentable and don't wear your armour this time. I hate to agree with Miroku about anything, but that was weird."

When Sango left, Inuyasha's face was the colour of his haori.

* * *

Kagome looked around the dining hall, taking in any details she might have missed the night before. It wasn't very elaborate, but it was clean and well cared-for. She was starting to notice the connection between which rooms received the extra attention. Servants slipped in and out of the room, laying the table with delicious looking food, and bowing to her as they did. There weren't many, only four so far, but judging by the pointed ears, they were all demons.

"Who is the divine creature that the Buddha has blessed us with?" Kagome blinked and looked at her hands, now clasped by a stranger. Her gaze traveled upward to land on man wearing the robes of a Buddhist monk and wearing a smile bright enough to light up the room. He had dark brown hair, tied into a small ponytail and his eyes were a pleasant blue-violet with a mischievous twinkle in them.

"Uh. Kagome?" She answered.

"Kagome!" The man gasped, like he'd never heard such a beautiful word before. "Would you do me the honour of bearing my child?"

Not that she could have answered, but thankfully, Sango chose that moment to materialize out of apparently nowhere and smack the monk soundly on the head. Behind her, Inuyasha groaned and rubbed his temple.

"Sango!" Miroku exclaimed dramatically, "Light of my life, where did you come from?" Sango rolled her eyes and started walking away. With a sheepish grin, Miroku winked at Kagome and followed Sango.

"Sorry about that," Inuyasha said, "That's just Miroku, he's harmless."

"What does he do around here?" Kagome asked curiously, taking her place at the table.

"In theory, he's our resident holy man and his job is to keep everyone in line, but out of everyone, I think he's the most depraved." Inuyasha answered, kneeling as well. They ate their first few bites in silence.

"I couldn't help but notice something." Kagome said carefully, "Are there any humans here besides Sango and Miroku?"

Inuyasha promptly dropped his chopsticks. He scrambled to pick them up and nearly knocked over his bowl of miso in the process. He flushed.

"Nope, just those two." He quickly stuffed a chunk of meat into his mouth.

More than ever, Kagome was having a tough time connecting all the different versions of this man that she'd heard about and seen. There was the vicious monster that had apparently fed a woman to wolves for displeasing him, there was the beautiful, seductive man from last night and there was the clumsy, blushing boy in front of her now. She wasn't normally one to curse, but what the hell was going on? She didn't ask any more questions for the rest of lunch, though she was dying to learn more. She'd have to tread carefully. Several times, Inuyasha opened and closed his mouth like he wanted to say something, but decided not to.

The servants silently swooped in to clear away the empty dishes. Kagome noted that one of them was a youkai-child with auburn hair and a fluffy tail. With a determined look, he attempted to pick up a large pile of dishes at once and accidentally knocked one over. Pieces of vegetable and dregs of miso landed on Inuyasha's lap. Everyone stopped and stared, waiting to see what the reaction would be. Eyes widening in horror, the child put his pile down and dropped into a low bow, touching his forehead to the floor. Kagome could see his little body trembling. Out of fear?

"Two trips, Shippo." Inuyasha said firmly, "You're still a little guy, remember?"

The child, Shippo smiled shakily and scampered out of the room, holding a smaller load of dishes. Kagome felt the servants collectively sigh in relief and resume their work.

Inuyasha cleared his throat and stood, offering her his hand. Kagome took it and allowed him to lead her to the exit of the dining hall.

"I thought I might show you where everything in the castle is, and then go for a walk outside. Is that alright?"

Kagome nodded mutely. Together, they walked up and down the halls of the estate. It was larger then even the nicest inn Kagome had ever stayed at, but not as big as she'd expected. He showed her the kitchen, servants quarters, his room, the bath house and ended back in her room where Sango was waiting with a fur cloak and boots.

Outside, Kagome had to admit that it was a beautiful view from up here. She'd thought they were higher up in the mountains, based on the freezing temperature and amount of snow, but she could still see the lush countryside laid out before her. But, she also had to admit that Inuyasha was probably right; there's no way she could get down the mountain and back to her village without help. The sun attempted to shine through the stubborn clouds, but only thin rays made it through. They walked around the verandah side by side, Inuyasha had his hands tucked inside his billowing sleeves, but Kagome was constantly rubbing hers. It was beautiful out here, but _cold_.

 _Should have asked Sango for mittens._ She thought ruefully.

She didn't realize they had stopped until she felt warmth spreading through her fingers. She let out a small gasp and met Inuyasha's eyes. He swallowed nervously, but kept massaging her palms.

"That's better," Kagome said shyly, "Thanks. You're really hot, I mean warm." Inuyasha coughed and looked away, but didn't let go.

"Yeah. Half-demons are funny like that. When I was a kid, my mother thought I had a fever that wouldn't go away." Kagome smiled, picturing a smaller, rounder version of Inuyasha. He must have been cute! But she didn't get to ask any more questions. Shippo skidded to a stop and bowed deeply.

"Master, the hunters are back and say they have something important to talk to you about."

Inuyasha stepped back from Kagome and bowed respectfully. The loss of warmth made her want to weep. To her surprise, Shippo clambered up Inuyasha's hakama and perched on his shoulder. And by Inuyasha's lack of reaction as they walked away, this was a perfectly normal thing.

"Tch. Pathetic."

Kagome whirled around at the sudden unfamiliar voice. He was dressed like Ginta and Hakkaku had been, only he had light blue eyes and black hair tied back in a high ponytail.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you, I'm Koga, one of the hunters."

"My name is Kagome, nice to meet you." She bowed politely.

"I know," Koga said carelessly, "It's all anyone has been talking about since yesterday. Well, I better be going."

He took two steps and stopped. He looked over his shoulder, seeming nervous.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable around the Master, if I were you."

He walked away, leaving Kagome rooted to the spot.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

* * *

Kagome waited in the dining hall, but there was no sign of Inuyasha. She hadn't seen him since Shippo had told him about this meeting with the hunters. The mood of the castle seemed to have taken a dark turn that had nothing to do with the setting sun. It was just a feeling, and Kagome couldn't put her finger on what was different. Koga's words from earlier whispered in the back of her mind. It seemed like everyone was in on some kind of secret except her.

The door opened and Shippo walked in, carrying a tray bigger than his head. Sango followed a few steps behind, like a parent indulging an ambitious child. He wobbled a few times, but he managed to place Kagome's meal in front of her without any incidents.

"The Master sends his regrets that he will not be able to join you for dinner tonight. But he hopes that you will see him tomorrow." Sango said with a bow. Shippo bowed too, with a bright smile of pride.

Kagome assured them that she was fine, of course she would see him tomorrow. But as she ate, Sango's words began to strike her as odd. Why wouldn't she see him tomorrow? Yet another question to add to the ever-growing list.

* * *

That night, Kagome was awoken by a vicious sounding snarl. It sounded like it was just outside her room. She bolted out of her bed and ran to the sliding door of her balcony. Just as she was about to open it, she hesitated.

 _What the hell am I thinking? If there's something dangerous out there, why would I open the door and let it in? Besides, it's probably nothing._

She jumped back with a small shriek when something gently rapped the other side of the balcony doors.

"Lady Kagome?" a gruff male voice inquired.

She slid the door open just far enough to reveal Koga. Blushing, she remembered she was only in her thin sleeping yukata and pulled it tightly around herself. The only light sources were the full moon and a small candle, but she was pretty sure Koga had night vision, being a wolf demon.

"Do you know what that sound was?" Kagome asked, hating the tremble in her voice. Koga shrugged,

"Just a wild dog. They aren't usually trouble, but they get nasty when they want something. You're safe, but I can keep watch outside your room if you like."

Kagome shook her head. She didn't want him sitting out in the cold all night just because she was being skittish. Of course, there were wild dogs in these mountains, and a whole host of other things too probably.

"No, it's fine. If you say there's no danger, I believe you."

Koga inclined his head.

"Whatever you say. If you ever come across one, keep your guard up. They're cute so it's easy to forget that they're dangerous. G'night."

He slid the door closed.

* * *

Kagome had no idea how long she lay in bed, unable to fall back asleep. Something was nagging at her. Something was telling her to get up and fix it. Whatever _it_ was. Finally, she gave up and got out of bed. Maybe walking around for a while would help.

Stepping outside her room, she saw a light flickering down the hallway. It seemed to be coming from the dining hall. Walking carefully, trying to avoid any creaky spots, Kagome walked towards the light.

Inside, a roaring fire bathed the room in warm light and dancing shadows. A figure stood by the fire, bracing himself against the wall with an arm, head bowed and turned away from her.

 _Inuyasha._

Kagome didn't realize she'd spoken his name out loud until his head snapped up and he spun to face her, eyes glowing like embers. Her hands flew to her heart, taken aback by the ferocity of his expression. He quickly returned to his shy, awkward self, so quickly Kagome was starting to think she had imagined it.

"Kagome?" He asked, sounding bewildered, "What are you doing up?" He gestured for her to come closer.

She approached cautiously, watching his face. Had she imagined it?

"Couldn't sleep. Why are you up?"

He snorted, almost like a laugh.

"Let's just say my meeting with the hunters didn't go well. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm sorry I didn't make it for dinner." He seemed to be trying to sound light-hearted, but he was clearly upset. Kagome took a step towards him, his distress tugged at her heart.

"I never thought being a Lord would be stressful, but I guess it must be. Being responsible for everyone that lives here." She gently ran a hand down his sleeve, noticing that he was only in his white undershirt and pants. His eyes followed her hand down and moved back to her face. His expression was intense, but unreadable.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

In one movement, Inuyasha had one hand in hers and another against the curve of her back. Kagome instantly felt her face heat up and for one wild moment, she was certain he was going to kiss her.

"Tell me what I can do to make you happy,"

Kagome wracked her brain for an answer that was unrelated to the solid, masculine body that she was currently pressed against. A more difficult task than she'd like to admit.

"Uh, game night!"

Inuyasha blinked in surprise. Kagome inwardly cringed, but she'd already said it, and she had to commit.

"Yeah, I used to play games with my brother and grandfather before they died. We played Shogi!"

"We can play Shogi," He said slowly, "Anything else?"

Kagome shook her head, feeling a bit dazed. She managed to keep herself from resting her head on his shoulder, but she couldn't resist taking a deep breath and inhaling his scent. She knew she should have been mortified.

 _What kind of girl smells a guy she only met yesterday?_

But she wasn't. It had only been one day, and she barely knew him. No respectable woman did this sort of thing, she shouldn't have even touched him! This was complete madness! Yet, it felt like something had awakened in her. Something that defied logic. Something that simply _wanted._ Slamming her senses back into place, Kagome stepped out of his hold and ducked her head.

"Uh, I'm going to go back to my room and read for a bit." She started to walk away when she felt Inuyasha's hand take hers again. She didn't dare look at him.

"You like to read?" He asked.

Kagome nodded, focusing resolutely on the door.

"Can we read together tomorrow? It's supposed to be stormy all day."

Kagome nodded again, but unseen by Inuyasha, her face split into a delighted smile.

"I'd like that. Goodnight."

She hurried out of the dining hall and back to her bedroom.

"Get a grip Kagome," She muttered to herself, "It's just a bit of reading, you're getting excited over nothing." She flopped onto her futon and toyed with her raven hair, unable to stop grinning. Foolish as it was, she really wanted to smell him again. He'd smelled like fire and pine trees and mountain air, it had made her feel calm and exhilarated all at once. She muffled an excited squeal and rolled over. She knew she was acting like a starry-eyed teenager, but she couldn't help it; he was so damn cute!

* * *

Inuyasha turned his attention back to the fire and exhaled. He'd nearly blown it. He'd seen the fear in her eyes, even if it had only been for a second.

The meeting this afternoon had been a painful reminder of how much was at stake here. They had been stuck in this winter for so long, there was almost nothing left to eat. They'd have to rely solely on what could be brought back from the village. He felt a pang of jealousy that his vassals could leave the mountains at all, even if it was temporary.

His hands bunched into fists. The sensation of his claws digging into his palms was a soothing kind of pain, it kept him grounded. They'd manage. He cursed himself for not acting sooner, choosing instead to waste away in his room. It had been madness to only give himself a week to break the curse, but for the sake of everyone that depended on him, he had to try. His fate was irrelevant, but theirs was unknown. He could not mess this up.

Five days left.

* * *

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me. If I am ever half as successful as Rumiko Takahashi, I'll die happy.

* * *

Inuyasha slowly walked back to his room. Tomorrow, he'd spend the entire day with Kagome. Hopefully, she felt the same inexplicable attraction that he felt towards her. Demon lore said that when a demon found their one true mate, they were helpless to fight against it. It was accepted as fact. But that hadn't stopped Sesshomaru from vilifying Inuyasha's mother for 'breaking up' his parents. He sighed. He'd never meant to enter this maddening world of demon politics. He'd have been happy to let Sesshomaru have everything their father left behind and disappear. But the second his brother had threatened Izayoi's life, Inuyasha's fate had been sealed. He could never be sure if Sesshomaru resented the fact that he had any standing at all in the demon world, or if he was simply content to know that Inuyasha was for the most part, miserable.

Fate was cruel, he decided, bringing his mate to him with only a week to romance her. As a half demon, he'd never entertained the possibility that he'd even have a mate, let alone find her. She seemed to at least like him, she'd smelled him for goodness sake! But he didn't dare feel too optimistic yet.

He slid open his door and went inside, but he wasn't alone.

"What are you doing up?" Inuyasha let out an undignified squawk of surprise, but quickly regained his composure.

"I swear Miroku one of these days, it's going to be an assassin hiding in my room and I'll end up getting murdered. What do you want?"

"Just to know how things are going, good buddy!" Miroku said brightly, "Sango won't let me near the lady and you were missing in action all day! How am I supposed to learn anything?"

"Nosy son of a bitch," Inuyasha grumbled, sinking onto his futon in defeat. "Fine, since I know you won't leave until I tell you." Miroku nodded, looking pleased with himself.

"We have plans tomorrow to read together." Miroku's eyes lit up.

"How nice! As a matter of fact, I do have some reading material that I could lend you."

"Thanks, but no!" Inuyasha said, turning red, "Keep your filthy stories to yourself!"

Miroku shrugged his shoulders, completely unfazed.

"As you wish Master!" He left the room muttering excitedly to himself and stroking his chin. Apparently, he had an idea that would "help". Great.

He lay down and closed his eyes. Instantly, Kagome's smiling face appeared before him. He was starting to wonder if he'd mistaken the jolt he'd felt the first time he saw her. She really wasn't like Kikyo at all.

* * *

Kagome woke feeling oddly nervous. Unsure exactly why, she donned her freshly laundered priestess robes. They were surprisingly cozy and comfortable, perfect for a day spent inside reading. Sango's light knock on the door signaled time for breakfast. Seized by an impulse, Kagome asked,

"Sango, may I ask you something?"

"Of course, my lady, what is it?"

Kagome nervously chewed her lip.

"I couldn't help but notice that you and Miroku are the only humans here. I was wondering how the two of you found this place."

Sango's smile faltered.

"It's not that I mind telling you, my lady, but my story isn't a happy one. I don't want to spoil your mood."

Kagome hesitated. She was beyond curious now, but wasn't sure how much Sango wanted to relive her past.

"You won't spoil my mood Sango. If you don't mind telling me, I would like to know. But please, don't feel like you have to."

Sango sat down, looking sorrowful.

"I come from a village of demon slayers. We were a formidable force in our prime, but our village is gone now. Looking back, I can't believe how it all went wrong so quickly. My father, brother and other comrades were called to perform an extermination. It should have been a routine job." Her hands tightened on her knees.

"We were careless. The demon ended up possessing my little brother, Kohaku. He killed my father, our friends and nearly killed me too. I had to…" She swallowed thickly, and Kagome felt her stomach twist. She wished she hadn't asked.

"Well anyway, once I recovered enough, I managed to travel home, only to find the entire village destroyed and everyone inside it, dead. I was furious, I wanted revenge. Rumours eventually reached my ears that it had been Inuyasha that annihilated the slayers, so I sought him out and attacked. Next thing I knew, I was here. Miroku, my fiancé now, explained everything. Inuyasha had noticed I was still badly hurt and surviving purely on anger. So, he brought me back here to recover, saying if I still wanted to kill him it might as well be a fair fight."

Kagome gasped.

"But he obviously didn't do it, right?"

"He didn't say anything about it. I was suspicious of him for a long time, I refused to eat or let my guard down for an instant. But eventually, I just couldn't connect the two versions of him I'd heard. It made no sense; he would slaughter a village of people, then go to the trouble of saving my life? I can't remember when, but after a while, I just...stopped hating him."

Kagome reached out and rested a hand on Sango's.

"I'm so sorry," she said earnestly, "How terrible that must have been."

Sango offered her a small smile.

"Thank you. It was awful, but it was a long time ago. I don't think about it very often anymore. You'd better eat that before it gets cold." She bowed and left.

Kagome lifted the first bit of rice to her lips when she was struck by a thought.

 _What's her idea of a long time ago? She can't be any older than eighteen._

Come to think about it, she'd heard whispers of a legendary group of people that specialized in slaying demons, but no one she'd ever met had seen a slayer in decades. She shook her head to clear it. Why dwell on this? She was having less faith in rumours by the minute.

* * *

Inuyasha's ears twitched adorably when she entered the room. He had set cushions by the fire and asked the kitchen to check on them frequently in case Kagome wanted something. Her smile made his stomach flutter. He idly noted that she was wearing miko robes, and was surprised when he wasn't immediately assaulted with memories of Kikyo. Kikyo had never once smiled at him like this.

"Um, so here's the thing," She said shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her hair. "I love stories and I can read a little bit, but not very much. I was wondering if you would…"

He wordlessly held out his hand and Kagome handed him the book. She sank onto a cushion and made herself comfortable as Inuyasha started to read. Listening to his voice was like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket.

The first story he read was that of Princess Kaguya. When describing Kaguya's beauty, his eyes seemed to linger on Kagome's form. She shivered.

At the end, she clapped her hands in delight and asked that he read another one. He smiled, and blushed, unable to hide his happiness. Taking a deep breath, he began the story of Urashima Taro. His fangs were almost as cute as his ears, Kagome decided. She found herself staring at them. They perked up at exciting points in a story and drooped during the sad moments. Whenever Kagome laughed, they swiveled towards her. The servants brought in food, but they merely picked at it. Inuyasha was preoccupied with reading and she was too enraptured to think about eating.

* * *

"Miroku, what the hell are you doing?" Sango asked in an irritated whisper. Miroku beamed, but gestured for her to be quiet. He'd found such a perfect spot for spying, it would be a shame to be discovered.

"I'm waiting for the opportune moment to strike." He whispered back. Shippo grinned at Sango from his perch on Miroku's lap.

"And I get to help!" He said happily.

Sango groaned.

"And what is this plan of yours?" She asked, sitting beside the monk.

"We can't trust the Master to talk himself up, so we're going to do it for him. Just watch."

"Miroku, you have way too much free time."

* * *

Kagome sipped her tea. The story of the Yuki-onna was the spookiest one he had told so far. The day had flown by. As expected, it had been dark and grey all day and now night was beginning to fall.

"Do you think snow maidens live in these mountains?" She asked, half-jokingly.

"I don't know," Inuyasha replied in the same conspiratorial tone, "But they wouldn't be as beautiful as you." Cheesy, but effective. She blushed, avoiding Inuyasha's eyes.

"Dad! Dad!" Shippo scampered into the room and climbed onto Inuyasha's lap. Kagome tilted her head to the side. Dad?

"Ah, what are you doing Shippo?" Inuyasha asked. He didn't sound angry at all, but very confused. Shippo gave Kagome his biggest, best smile.

"I heard you were telling stories and I wanted to tell one!" Inuyasha groaned, but Kagome squealed with delight. Outside, Miroku gave Sango a cheeky wink. As he'd expected, Kagome was excited about this, therefore Inuyasha couldn't say no. Sango rolled her eyes. Shippo cleared his throat.

"A long time ago, more than fifty years past, these mountains were controlled by two mean, scary demons known as the Thunder Brothers! The older brother named Hiten, looked like a handsome man with red eyes and a long black braid of hair but he was vicious! The younger brother, named Manten didn't look human. He had a big white head and pointy nose and he had only three hairs! He cared a lot about his hair, so much that he would kidnap women and boil them down into potion to make his hair grow!"

Kagome shuddered and Inuyasha had to smother a laugh. Shippo glared at them both, annoyed at the interruption. When satisfied that he had their attention again, Shippo continued.

"The Thunder Brothers liked to fly around and slaughter entire armies of humans at once, just for fun. A powerful fox demon decided that they had to be stopped, so he challenged them to a duel. He fought bravely, but it was two against one and the fox demon died." Shippo sniffled, "But then, the great half-demon Inuyasha appeared! Using his magic sword, the Tessaiga, and with some help from the fox demon's foxfire, he managed to kill the Thunder Brothers and conquer the mountains. Not only that, he discovered that the fox demon had son that was all alone now. So, he took the baby fox back to his new castle and adopted him! The end."

Kagome looked from Shippo's cheerful expression to Inuyasha's embarrassed one.

"Thank you for the story, Shippo." Kagome said kindly, "It was pretty amazing!" Shippo grinned and dashed away, after giving Inuyasha a hug and a peck on the cheek. He grumbled, but allowed it.

"Is that really how it happened?" Kagome asked eagerly, leaning closer.

"Uh. More or less." Inuyasha muttered uncomfortably "Hey, I've been talking all day. You tell one now! Tell me one about you."

They talked until late into the night, trading stories back and forth.

When Kagome had sprained her ankle, trying to put a baby bird back in its nest.

How Inuyasha had nearly drowned in a creek as a child and scared his mother half to death.

The first time Kaede had forced Kagome to make that horrid smelling medicine.

When a village plagued by monkey demons had mistaken Inuyasha for an inu-gami and begged for his help.

Kagome yawned widely and quickly covered her mouth. Kaede would have smacked her for being so unladylike. Inuyasha chuckled, standing and offering her a hand that she happily took.

"Go to bed Kagome."

They walked together to her room in shy silence and stopped just outside the door.

Before she could overthink it too much, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. It only lasted a few seconds, and both of them were scarlet in the face when they broke apart.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha." Kagome said. She ducked inside and closed the door.

* * *

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine. Also, I just discovered that I'm not as creative with titles as I thought I was. Turns out there is another story called Beauty and the Hanyou, written by BlueMoonGoddess. Just to be clear, I haven't read it and I'm not going to until I finish my version, just to be safe :D

Thank you SO much to everyone that has followed and reviewed! I'm actually having a blast writing this story and I hope you enjoy these next few chapters 😉

* * *

Kagome slept in far later than she had ever been allowed to before. As a child, she'd been expected to be up bright and early to help her mother with the housework and care for Grandpa. Before she'd found Kaede, to sleep too soundly in the wilderness was to die. As a miko-in-training, her days had begun before the sun finished rising. She had to meditate, purify herself, make breakfast, do her chores, practice her archery, it went on and on.

Sango entered with a tray of food.

"Thanks for bringing my breakfast, I appreciate it." Kagome mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sango made a soft noise, almost a laugh.

"Breakfast? Lunch, more like."

Kagome's eyes flew open in shock. Sango held up a hand to placate her, unable to hide her laugh this time.

"It's alright Lady Kagome, the Master instructed us not to wake you. But he said to tell you that you'll be having 'game night' this evening, if that's acceptable to you. He also says that Shogi is his specialty so, prepare to lose."

Kagome's face lit up.

"Please tell him that I look forward to proving him wrong." Sango bowed and turned to leave. "One more thing Sango, will you help me get ready for this evening? I want to look…nice." She blushed.

"Of course. Enjoy your breakfast, Kagome."

* * *

Sango took her time walking down the hallway. She had nowhere to be, but she couldn't be found hovering outside Kagome's room. A hand suddenly reached out and tugged her into a small annex, hidden by a sliding door. It was meant for storing cleaning supplies and had no light. But in the cramped, darkness, Sango felt no fear; there was only one person in this whole castle that would try something like this.

"I'm going to tell the Master that he needs to give you more work to do." She didn't have to see Miroku's face to know that his eyes were twinkling with amusement.

"You, my dearest love, are all talk." Miroku replied, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck. "Don't pretend you don't enjoy this." Sango grumbled, but sank into Miroku's embrace. Delighted by the encouragement, he dotted her neck with feather-light kisses, traveling his way down her jaw and finally landing on her lips. Sango sighed happily, deepening the kiss and curling her hands in the neckline of his robe. His hands wandered down to her hips and he ground himself against her. It was _very_ clear what he was in the mood for. With a regretful groan, Sango broke the kiss and stepped back, as much as the tiny closet would allow.

"Not now, Kagome is expecting me soon; I'm going to help her get ready for tonight."

"Oh really?" Miroku asked interestedly. Sango smacked his arm, making him yelp.

"I'm helping with her makeup and clothes, you lecher." She clarified sternly. Miroku's arms came around her again, his lips brushing against her ear. Sango whimpered and clenched her hands into fists. If she didn't leave right now, she wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. Damn him, why did he have to know every single one of her weak spots? Fifty years of practice, she supposed. She pried herself from Miroku's hold and stepped outside the annex. He gave her a cheerful smile and a wave as she walked away. Apparently, he was completely fine with staying in there for a little longer. And thank God, if Shippo found him and started asking questions, Sango fully intended to make herself scarce. She was already the Head of House and Captain of Security, let Miroku take on another job!

* * *

"Are you alright, Sango?" Kagome asked when she entered, "You look red."

"I'm fine." Sango replied with all the dignity she could muster. She clapped her hands once. "Ok! Time for a bath!"

The beauty treatment lasted all afternoon. Sango washed her hair with cherry-blossom scented shampoo and rubbed her freshly scrubbed skin with cedarwood scented oil. Sango's fingers running through her raven hair made Kagome want to purr. Who knew being pampered and warm was so nice? After combing her hair, she tied it back in a loose knot at her neck.

"If only we had some flowers." Sango said mournfully, tapping her chin. They didn't speak at all while Sango applied Kagome's makeup. Eventually, the former slayer sat back with a satisfied look on her face. She handed Kagome a mirror and Kagome's jaw dropped. The kimono for tonight was a very light pink, almost white and patterned with deep pink flowers. Sango had accentuated her eyes again with pink eyeshadow to match her kimono, but had coloured her lips a deep red as well. Kagome lightly touched them, afraid of smudging Sango's handiwork.

"Thanks Sango." She whispered in awe, "It's beautiful."

Sango winked.

"Better get going!"

* * *

Inuyasha tucked his hands into his sleeves in an attempt to conceal his fidgeting. He hadn't seen Kagome all day and as the monk had so helpfully put it "he'd gone a bit nutty". Sure, he'd been acting a little anxious, but Sango ordering Miroku to babysit him all day had not been necessary. Miroku had enjoyed the afternoon far more than he had, helping himself to Inuyasha's high-quality sake and making suggestions for when they "sealed the deal". He now knew more about Sango and Miroku's relationship than he had ever wanted to. But he was here, wearing his best black robe and waiting patiently.

Kagome entered, and he couldn't stop his mouth from falling open. Her natural scent, that of a wildflower field on a sunny day, had quickly become his new favourite. But Sango had gone and added cherry blossom and cedarwood to the mix. The effect was positively intoxicating. He didn't realize that he was gaping at her like a fish until Kagome lightly cleared her throat.

"Do I look alright?" She asked hopefully. Inuyasha blinked. What would Miroku say? Something suave and romantic of course.

"Yeah." He answered, cringing the instant the word left his lips.

They didn't talk very much over dinner, they were far too busy eyeing each other.

The black robe and white hakama pants combined with his silver hair made his brilliant amber eyes stand out even more than usual. He'd even donned a necklace of black beads and ivory teeth. The effect was that of a scruffy man trying to appear elegant and Kagome absolutely loved it.

After dessert, Inuyasha coughed and asked Kagome if she was still up for this, knowing she was going to lose. Kagome arched an eyebrow and rested her elbows on the table.

"Not only am I ready to play, I think we should up the stakes."

Inuyasha leaned closer, she'd piqued his interest.

"We will play five games. If I win three out of five, I get to touch your ears."

Inuyasha barked a laugh. That, he had not been expecting. And, he decided there was no reason to tell her that he loved having his ears rubbed.

"Fine," He replied with a sly grin, "But if I win, I get to ask you a question and you have to answer honestly.

Kagome blushed, now feeling like she'd wasted her choice of prize. But, she couldn't back down now. She held out her hand for him to shake.

"Deal."

The first game passed in complete silence. The servants passed by a little more often than normal to make sure things were alright. Kagome won.

Emboldened by her success, the second game's silence was punctuated by the occasional teasing comment from Kagome. Inuyasha said nothing. Kagome won again.

The third game was over in a matter of minutes. Kagome gaped at the board in shock. Mind working frantically, she tried to discern where she'd gone wrong to be beaten so quickly. Inuyasha leaned back and smirked. Kagome gave him her best glare.

The fourth game caused Kagome to burst out what her mother had always referred to as 'flavour-words'. She clapped a hand over her mouth blushing hotly. Inuyasha stared at her in disbelief for a heartbeat before dissolving into shocked laughter. At this, Sango, Miroku and Shippo poked their heads in to make sure they weren't hallucinating. Kagome's glares did nothing to discourage the hanyou's giggles and snorts.

"Should we start the last game?" He asked innocently. Kagome muttered another flavour-word.

The fifth game lasted longer, but still ended with Kagome groaning and hiding her face in her hands. Inuyasha couldn't keep the arrogant smile from his face.

"I warned you," He taunted, packing up the board and setting it aside. "Shogi is my specialty."

"Oh, shut up," Kagome grumbled petulantly through her fingers. She'd always been a bit of a sore loser. "Go ahead and ask your question."

"Can I kiss you?" Kagome hands dropped. Silent as a cat, he was now on all fours and only inches away.

Face burning at his closeness, Kagome could only nod. He didn't hesitate for a second.

Taking her head in his hands, he pressed his lips against her in a shy, gentle kiss. Her first one, Kagome thought dumbly. Instinctively, she twisted her fingers in his sleeves and kissed him back with a small whimper. His tongue gently probed her lips and she obediently opened for him. His tongue entwined with hers, warm and wet. Without breaking contact, Kagome climbed onto Inuyasha's lap and ran her fingers through his hair. It didn't feel like a first kiss. It felt like they'd done this many times before and knew each other perfectly. Heat pooled in Kagome's belly and she moaned into his mouth. Inuyasha broke the kiss first, blushing and breathing heavily.

"I think we should leave it there." He mumbled, sounding embarrassed. Kagome tilted her head, confused at first. But, now that she was no longer distracted, she felt something pressing against her thigh. Inuyasha's hands were on her shoulders. Her lip colour was smeared on his lips and on his jaw as well.

"Oh," She said, blushing. "Yeah, ok." She pulled back from him, feeling light-headed. With a formal bow, he bade her good night.

Kagome watched him go, her head spinning. After remembering how her legs worked, she returned to her room, almost afraid to see what she looked like. Hands shaking, she lifted the mirror and looked into it. Her reflection shocked her. Her hair had come out of its neat hairdo and her lips were indeed smudged. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated.

"Good thing he stopped it there." She muttered to herself, grabbing a cloth to clean her face.

Yes, a good thing. The way she'd acted had been promiscuous and shameful. That's what everyone at the village would have said. But she didn't feel the least bit ashamed. On the contrary, she felt _desirable._

She felt alive.

* * *

Inuyasha slumped against the wall, trying to get a grip on himself. Not a literal one, but that would likely be the direction his night took.

If there had been any doubt in his mind that Kagome was his mate, it was gone now. The way her body and lips had molded against his perfectly, like they'd known each other for years, not days, there was no other explanation. Had he not stopped when he did, his inner demon would have demanded that he claim her, right there on the floor by the fire. He couldn't do that to her. Besides, lust wouldn't break the curse. He heard movement outside the door and almost snarled.

He was _not_ in the mood to talk to Miroku right now. He slid the door open with more force than necessary, but the angry words died on his lips, replaced by amazement.

"Kagome…"

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Buckle up, it's about to get steamy in here!

* * *

Blinking dumbly, Inuyasha took in the sight before him. Kagome's makeup and fancy kimono were gone. She wore only her thin white sleeping yukata, which, Inuyasha noticed, was doing a very poor job of concealing her cleavage. Blushing, she tucked her unbound hair behind her ear, inadvertently baring her neck to him. It made him want to howl. He casually brought his hand down to where the sleeve would cover his groin. He was aching for her so badly that it hurt.

"What are you, uh, doing here?" He asked in a tight voice. Kagome's mouth opened like she wanted to say something, but she quickly closed it and ducked her head. Her blush deepened. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward and parted her yukata, letting it slip down her shoulders. Inuyasha managed to find the sense to close the door behind him, but all other coherent had fled from his lust-fueled brain.

Kagome steeled herself. Her heart was pounding so loudly and so fast that she was certain Inuyasha could hear it. She was nervous, but the exhilaration and the burning need she felt was too much to ignore. She released the yukata, letting it pool at her feet. Inuyasha's gaze raked over her, as if he was trying to memorize every detail. She had dainty feet, long slender legs, gently curved hips and a slim waist. Her breasts were large and round, and he found himself following their rise and fall as she breathed. In the chilled air of the bedchamber, her nipples pebbled, and she shivered slightly. His amber eyes traveled back down to the area between her legs, concealed by a neat patch of dark curls. His mate. His beautiful, perfect mate. He moved towards her. She took a step back, arms drawing up to her chest. She peered up at him nervously through thick eyelashes

"This is…I've never…be gentle with me."

Inuyasha's strong arms encircled her and he pressed a kiss to her lips. Relaxing into the embrace, she let him scoop her up and lay her on the bed. Placing a hand on either side of her head, he kissed her again. Kagome moaned, arching her back. Her entire body was tingling. His every movement was slow and deliberate as he kissed his way down her body, tantalizingly avoiding his ultimate goal. His amber eyes never left her face. Seeing how her body responded to his touch was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. When he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, she let out a whimper of need and clutched at the sheets. He nipped her skin lightly, eliciting another whimper. He moved to ease her legs apart, but to his surprise, she grabbed his arm. Her skin was flushed, and her eyes were hazy.

"Y-your claws." She panted.

"I won't hurt you," He assured her, kissing her belly, "I promise. Just relax."

Kagome nodded, attempting a smile. Inuyasha settled between her legs and dipped his tongue into her wet folds.

Kagome cried out, biting her lip. She had indulged herself before, but nothing could have prepared her for this. His tongue swirled and probed her womanhood, making her moan. His tongue flicked against her clit and her eyes flew open. Suckling her clit, Inuyasha carefully slipped a finger inside her. Kagome's hands found their way into Inuyasha's hair and she hung on for dear life as he slowly pumped his finger in and out. It didn't take long to adjust, and he added another finger. He took a brief pause to enjoy the sight. Kagome was panting, making her lovely breasts heave. She whined and wiggled her hips, annoyed by the lack of movement.

"Inuyasha," she begged.

He couldn't wait any longer. Sitting back, he took off his robe and threw it aside but left the necklace. Kagome sat up as far as her shaky arms would allow, watching interestedly. The undershirt came next, baring his toned chest to her hungry gaze. He had the complexion of one who used to be tanned, but hadn't seen the sun in a while. His body was lean, solid muscle with a smattering of silver chest hair. When he kicked off his hakama pants, Kagome couldn't stop her mouth from falling open. He was, to put it lightly, not small; at least eight inches long and wide enough to make her nervous again.

As if sensing this, Inuyasha nuzzled her neck.

"I won't hurt you," he whispered against her skin. Closing her eyes, Kagome gripped his arms and tried to relax. She'd asked for this. She wanted this. She wanted him. When she felt him press against her entrance, she bit her lip. He entered her slowly, inch by inch. When he was fully sheathed inside her, Inuyasha groaned and pressed a desperate kiss against Kagome's lips. She was so tight and warm he didn't have the words to describe how good it felt. It took every ounce of willpower he had to remain still, to wait for her to adjust to him. Her breathing had slowed, and a single tear fell from her eye.

"Kagome?"

Kagome opened her eyes. It hadn't hurt nearly as much as everyone had told her it would. The feeling of being stretched had been uncomfortable, but that was quickly fading. Inuyasha's glowing gold eyes were locked on hers and jagged purple crests had appeared on his cheeks. His muscular arms quivered, palms laid flat against her sides.

"It's ok, I'm ok." She breathed. Excitement gleamed in her eyes.

He withdrew and pushed inside her again, sending a ripple of pleasure coursing through her body. Kagome's hands bunched in the sheets and she moaned out loud. His drawn-out thrusts were becoming delicious torture. Her whispered plea for him to go faster was an order he happily obliged. The scent of her arousal filled his nose as he pumped in and out of her slick walls. Kagome whimpered and writhed beneath him. Every thrust sent a pulse of white-hot pleasure through her. She threw her head back and cried out his name as her orgasm hit. Her hips jerked and bucked uncontrollably against him and a new liquid gushed from her. Inuyasha came shortly afterwards, gasping and pulling out of her in the nick of time. His head dropped forward, and he stayed poised over her, trying to catch his breath. Kagome lazily watched his seed drip onto her stomach. Kagome reached up and brushed his sweaty bangs away from his face. He smiled, sated and just a little sheepish. Climbing off her, he fetched a small cloth and wiped her tummy clean.

"Sorry," he mumbled. Kagome giggled and pulled him towards her by his necklace, kissing him.

"That was amazing." She said earnestly, when they broke apart, "Can we have game night more often?" Inuyasha chuckled.

Growling playfully, he rolled over onto his back, tugging her onto his chest. Kagome's eyes moved to his fuzzy ears, flicking lazily in the aftermath of his climax. She reached up and rubbed one between her forefinger and thumb. To her delight, it was as soft as it looked. Inuyasha made a rumbling sound in her chest and Kagome giggled. His ears instantly flattened. Surprised, Kagome looked at Inuyasha's face.

"Are you pouting?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"I'm a demon prince." Inuyasha replied stiffly, avoiding her eye, "I don't pout."

"You're pouting!" Kagome exclaimed with glee, "You don't want people to know that you like having your ears rubbed?"

"Keh." Inuyasha replied, but his cheeks darkened. Kagome planted a kiss on his cheek and resumed rubbing.

The night stretched on. They talked. They cuddled. They made love again. Eventually they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

* * *

In the morning, Kagome was awoken by two things. The cheerful sun streaming through the thin walls and a soreness between her legs that she hadn't noticed before. Beside her, Inuyasha was still fast asleep. His expression was relaxed, his fangs peeked through his slightly parted lips. He was beautiful. She kissed his cheek affectionately. His ear twitched, but he stayed asleep. Kagome's growling stomach reminded her that she was really hungry. Not wishing to wake him, Kagome pulled on her yukata and slipped from the room.

On her way back, Koga rounded the corner with a pack over his shoulder.

"Good morning," Kagome said shyly. Koga's nostrils flared and he stopped dead. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open. His bag fell to the ground with a thump.

"Kagome." He said, sounding horrified. "Tell me you didn't."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked defensively, crossing her arms.

Koga raked a hand through his hair.

"Dammit Kagome, I can't bite my tongue any longer. Inuyasha is not who he says he is! That's why I tried to warn you!"

"If you really wanted to warn me about anything, why be so damn cryptic?" Kagome asked.

"Because," Koga hissed, "I'm trying to keep you, and myself, from getting killed! If you're willing to listen, I'll explain everything. You deserve to know. Come find me when you're ready."

He snatched his pack up and stormed off. Kagome hurried to her room, trying to ignore the growing knot in her stomach.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

For my dear readers that have been asking "wtf Koga?" Read on and enjoy!

* * *

Kagome donned her miko robes and sat on her futon, running her fingers through her hair. Silly as it may be, it helped settle her thoughts. First and foremost, she'd lain with a man. Twice. Her heart began to race at the mere memory of having Inuyasha inside her. If anyone had told her that she would go to his room and essentially throw herself at him, she might have laughed. It almost didn't seem real, like it had been an amazing, vivid dream. She had been happy. But Koga's words were troubling her more than she wanted them to.

She wasn't sure what to make of him. Sango, Miroku and Shippo seemed devoted to Inuyasha, but the rest of the servants didn't seem to share that sentiment. Granted, most of her contact had been with Sango, but she remembered how everyone had tensed when Shippo had dropped a dish. Like they were expecting an outburst that hadn't come.

 _The Master doesn't like to be reminded of the stories about him._ That's what Ginta and Hakkaku had told her when they'd brought her here. But out of everyone, Koga was the only one that seemed to openly dislike Inuyasha. Not only that, he was the only one that wasn't overjoyed by their budding romance. From their first meeting, he'd urged her not to get too comfortable with Inuyasha and his concern for her felt genuine. She hated that her curiosity was getting the better of her, but Kagome had to admit that she wanted to hear what Koga had to say. But was he trustworthy? Sango and Miroku weren't likely to fall for any sneaky questioning or to speak ill of their master. Her fingers stilled in her hair. Perhaps what she needed was innocent candor.

* * *

She found Shippo carrying a pile of folded towels that was taller than he was.

"Kagome!" He exclaimed when he saw her, his little face lighting up.

"Hi Shippo," Kagome replied, kneeling beside him, "I was wondering if you could help me with something." He carefully set the towels down, only dislodging one and nodded eagerly.

"It's a question about Inuyasha. I really like him." Shippo beamed. "But if I'm going to marry him, I should know; is he always so sweet?" Kagome chose her words carefully, if she sounded too accusatory, the child might get defensive and refused to answer her. Shippo's face fell and he looked at his paws.

"My dad is the best." He insisted, "But he gets mean sometimes. And when that happens, no one will let me see him. But only sometimes!" His turquoise eyes begged her not to think badly of Inuyasha. The kit clearly loved him. She felt a twinge of guilt that she forced down. It wasn't like she was lying, right?

"It's ok Shippo," Kagome soothed, "Thank you. One more thing, can you tell me where Koga is?"

* * *

Koga turned to face her before she could open her mouth. Wolf senses she supposed. That, and it was incredibly hard to be stealthy in snow this deep. His smile made Kagome feel another stab of guilt.

"You don't have to stop," Kagome said, gesturing to the unfinished pile of firewood he'd been chopping. "I interrupted you." Koga shook his head, making his ponytail sway.

"Nah, this won't take long, come with me." She followed him into a small hut. Thanks to a few oil lamps, the hut was marginally warmer than outside. He laid a fur pelt on the floor and invited her to sit. She did, watching him warily.

"I'm not sure where to start." Koga admitted, "I didn't think you'd come."

Kagome shrugged uncomfortably.

"Maybe start with why you freaked out this morning." Koga nodded and sat down across from her, lounging with an elbow draped across his knee.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Ok, I guess I'll get right to it. Inuyasha is under a curse and he needs you to break it."

Kagome blinked in astonishment. Koga continued in a tumble of words, as if determined to have his say before she could change her mind.

"For fifty years, this castle has been frozen in time. It's always winter here. All the servants, like me, can leave the mountains for short periods of time, but we have to return. Inuyasha can't even do that. He's trapped."

"How awful!" Kagome murmured, "Why would someone do that to him?"

"I'll get to that. The only way to break the curse is for someone to fall in love with him, and take his place." Kagome's hands flew to her mouth and she shook her head in disbelief.

"No." she stammered, "That can't be. He wouldn't do that to me."

Koga sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Overall, Inuyasha isn't a bad man." He said, "But people do bad things when they're desperate. And there's the problem of him being a half-demon. He tries, but he can't change what he is."

"What do you mean?" Kagome whispered. She didn't want to believe it, but it did explain why Inuyasha had seemed _eager_ to woo her.

"Inuyasha would have you believe that all the prejudice against half-demons is just people being cruel. And they are, but they do have reason to be afraid. Humans and demons are not supposed to be together. It's like trying to mix water and oil, it doesn't work. And because of that, half-demons are unstable. Their demon and human sides are always at war with each other, fighting for dominance. Inuyasha has it especially bad. His father was an insanely powerful demon and his blood is too much for Inuyasha to control. When his demon side takes over, he blacks out and kills anyone that crosses his path."

Kagome gasped in horror, remembering Sango's tale of how she'd met Inuyasha. If what Koga said was true…could it be that he really had slaughtered Sango's family? Her stomach clenched. No. No!

"There's one other thing. Inuyasha has an ability that youkai refer to as 'demon charm'. It's not exactly mind-control, but it makes the demon seem extra attractive. Almost impossible to resist. When a demon uses this power, their eyes glow."

Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes and she began to tremble. A memory slammed into place of the first moment she'd laid eyes on him. And last night…She felt sick.

"I know you don't want to believe it." Koga said gently, "I'm sorry. It's a lot to take in."

Kagome's head was spinning. Could she really have been so wrong about him? Their connection, her falling into bed with him, nothing but demon charm? So, he could be free of his fifty-year prison?

 _Dad gets mean sometimes. When that happens, no one will let me see him._

"You never explained why someone would curse him."

Koga's blue eyes were sympathetic.

"She was a priestess. All she wanted to do was protect her people from him. But I'll let him explain. Then you'll see that I'm telling you the truth." He leaned closer. "When you see him next, ask him who Kikyo was."

* * *

Kagome stayed in her room until the sky outside began to darken. She refused meals and even Inuyasha's invitation to go for a walk. She was ashamed to admit it, but she was afraid to face him. Last night, his glowing eyes and demon crests had entranced her. Today, she was frightened. Frightened by how her desire had consumed her. She'd given herself to a man she'd known for less than a week! But she couldn't hide forever. She felt like she was walking into a trap, but she had to find out the truth. If there was one thing Kagome hated, it was being lied to.

She found Inuyasha in the dining hall, picking absent-mindedly at his dinner. He practically leapt to his feet when he saw her.

"Kagome! Are you alright? No one has seen you all day, are you sick?" He sounded so genuinely concerned it made her want to cry again.

"I'm fine." She answered. "But I need to ask you something. Inuyasha, who is Kikyo?"

The room seemed to grow cold. Inuyasha went perfectly still, eyes widening in shock and anger. His lips drew back, showing his fangs.

"Who told you that name?" He growled.

Kagome took a step backwards, trying to find her voice. Her brain wasn't working. She couldn't stop staring at his sharp teeth.

"Answer me!" He snarled, upturning the table and stalking towards her. The clatter of smashing dishes made Kagome flinch. "Who's been talking to you about her?"

She tried to back away from him, her heart pounding. But he grabbed her arms and held them tightly. His face was inches from hers. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face away.

"You're hurting me." She whispered, "Please, let me go. Please."

Inuyasha snatched his hands back like he'd been burned. The rage had completely disappeared from his face, replaced by horrified guilt.

"Kagome, I" He reached for her.

Kagome turned and ran.

He didn't follow.

* * *

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

Thanks a million for all the follows and reviews! It really makes me happy! Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy diving into the backstory stuff!

* * *

 _Run._

Kagome didn't stop to think or to even catch her breath. She grabbed a fur cloak and boots from the annex near the main entrance and dashed out the door. The sky outside was dark, but perfectly clear. The moon reflecting off the sparkling snow lit her way. The sudden rush of frigid air made her cough, but she didn't dare stop.

 _Run._

Inuyasha would have taken everything from her. Her virtue, her heart and finally her freedom. Then he would have left her to rot in this eternal winter forever. And she'd fallen for it, hook line and sinker. Where he'd grabbed her burned like brands and she hugged herself tightly. She'd been right the first time. He was a predator, and she was nothing but his prey. It had only been for a moment, but she'd felt just how strong he really was. He could kill her without breaking a sweat. She might be acting crazy, but dammit, she couldn't stay in these mountains for another minute!

 _Run!_

Kagome skittered to a stop when she heard the howl of wolves. Or was it wild dogs? She giggled hysterically and looked around. A sudden gust of wind showered her with snow. Through the glittery sheen, Kagome thought she saw movement. She wiped her eyes. Five shapes stalked through the snow towards her. Wolves. Kagome looked around wildly for an opening or a weapon, but there was nothing. Nothing but snow as far as she could see. She had no choice. She had to run. Her breath came in short pants and she felt dizzy.

Her foot slipped on an icy patch and Kagome found herself tumbling down a steep hill. She grabbed frantically for anything to hold on to and came to a stop at the top of a cliff face, mere centimeters from certain death. Her legs shook so badly she wasn't sure they would support her if she tried to stand. Her vision was still spinning from her jarring journey down. She looked up. The wolves were still coming! She struggled to her feet and glanced behind her. She couldn't see the ground at the bottom of the cliff.

A strange calm overtook her. She was going to die. One way or another. A snarl from the pack leader snapped her out of her reverie and she instinctually inched away. The ground beneath her gave away and she went over the edge.

 _Mom_. _Grandpa. Sota._

Hot tears streamed from her eyes. Either from the rush of the fall or from sadness, Kagome wasn't sure. Or maybe it was relief. She'd missed them so much…

She vaguely heard someone scream her name. Suddenly, she wasn't falling anymore. An arm hooked around her torso. There was a flash of light and a horrible screeching sound that echoed through the mountains.

"You'd better be alright, you stupid girl." Growled a familiar voice. Kagome cracked an eye open and she let out a shriek before she could stop herself. She could see the ground now, but that was small comfort, considering how far she still had to go. Inuyasha was holding her with one arm and using the other to hang on to the large sword he'd jammed into the rock wall.

"Be quiet!" Inuyasha snapped, "Listen up. We'll be ok if I can pull this off perfectly. But I need to concentrate. So, _don't fucking scream._ Got it?"

"Ok." Kagome whimpered, wrapping her arms around him, her literal lifeline.

He didn't give her any warning. With a snarl of effort, he wrenched the sword from the cliff wall. Kagome bit down on her arm to keep from screaming, eyes open in terror. The endless stretch of white came closer.

Fifty feet.

Inuyasha shoved the sword back into its sheathe.

Forty.

Kagome sobbed and tightened her grip, turning her knuckles white.

Thirty.

Inuyasha's arms tightened around her and he cradled her head.

Twenty.

Kagome thought her heart was going to beat right out of her chest.

Ten.

They hit. Inuyasha grunted and they collapsed in a heap. Kagome's vision went black.

* * *

She awoke on a bed of fur, wrapped in a red cloth. Sitting up slowly, Kagome surveyed her surroundings. The cave was barely a cave, more like a large indent that provided enough shelter from the wind to make a fire. Which someone had, Kagome realized dumbly. Lounging in the entrance, with his back against the wall and an arm draped across his knee, was Inuyasha. Looking closer, Kagome noticed something strange. Inuyasha's other arm hung limply by his side and his white undershirt was stained deep red.

"You're awake." He said flatly. "Are you hurt?"

Kagome wiggled her fingers and toes and poked tentatively at her head.

"Um, I don't think so." She whispered.

"Good. Fucking moron!" Inuyasha snarled furiously, "I told you a human couldn't make it back on their own! And what's the first thing you do? Take off in the middle of the goddamn night, alone! Idiot! Idiot!" He harrumphed and looked away from her. Kagome's hands tightened in the robe he'd given her and tried to bring her fogged brain up to speed. Something wasn't quite right. She tilted her head, trying to get a better look at his face. Then she realized it. She'd frightened him. It was almost funny, in a way. But laughing was probably not the thing to do right now.

"You're hurt." She murmured instead.

Inuyasha snorted.

"I'll be fine."

An awkward moment of silence passed.

"I'm sorry Kagome. I didn't mean to scare you. I just...can I explain?" His voice was soft, and he still kept his face turned away, but he snuck a glance out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll answer any question you ask." He continued, "In the morning, if you still want to go home, I'll have one of my men escort you. It will take a few hours for my arm to heal, but until it does, we're stuck here."

Kagome looked down at her hands. He had a hell of a lot to explain, in her opinion, but he _had_ jumped off a cliff to rescue her, and apparently broken his arm in the process when he could have easily just let her die. Besides, they had nothing else to do to pass the time.

"I want the truth." She said firmly. She couldn't let him off too easily, she reasoned.

Inuyasha angled his body to face her and crossed his legs. She could barely make out the scene behind him.

"You'll have it. I swear." He replied. "Who were you talking to?"

Kagome chewed her lip nervously and answered.

"Koga. I was talking to Koga."

Inuyasha's jaw fell open, pain and shock clear on his face.

"Koga?" He exclaimed, "What the hell? Why would he do this?"

Kagome took a breath and relayed everything the wolf-demon had told her, carefully watching Inuyasha's every reaction.

He furrowed an eyebrow at the details of the curse, but didn't interrupt her. He had the grace to look a little ashamed at the mention of the demon charm ability, but still, he let her speak.

But when she reached what Koga had told her about half-demons, Inuyasha seemed to shrink before her. His ears flattened against his head and he avoided her eye, staring into the fire instead.

Kagome let a moment pass, but Inuyasha said nothing. He only brought a hand up to his forehead and swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, feeling the twist in her stomach building again. "Please, say something. You're freaking me out. Just tell me, was Koga lying to me?"

Slowly, Inuyasha met Kagome's eyes. The sadness and guilt in his amber orbs made Kagome's heart stop. She knew what he was going to say, but didn't know if she could bear to hear it.

"No, Kagome. He wasn't."

* * *

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

Time for dialogue and lots of it!

* * *

"Wait, wait!" Inuyasha pleaded, "It's not that Koga was lying, he's just not exactly right about everything. Please."

Kagome felt the icy bite of the rock wall of the cave and realized that she'd backed away from him without realizing it. She took a few breaths to try and calm down.

"I'm listening, but you'd better start talking." She said, trying to sound brave. Inuyasha nodded gratefully.

"I'll start from the beginning." He cleared his throat nervously. He had never shared his life story with anyone before. But then, he'd never expected anyone to care enough to listen.

"My father was named Toga. But he was better known as the Inu No Taisho, the legendary demon King. He was one of the most powerful demons to have ever existed. Mom used to say that I look like him. During his reign, Japan was in relative peace. Don't get me wrong, humans and demons still hated and killed each other, but he never let it get out of hand. He was married to a woman named Miyuki and they had a son, my half-brother Sesshomaru. Things were good for hundreds of years. Then he met my mother.

Her name was Izayoi. She was a princess and known for her beauty and kindness. My father happened to be in the area when her castle was attacked by a neighbouring lord and his army. He'd met my grandfather before and liked him well enough, so he wiped out the attacking army. As thanks, they threw a feast in his honour. Mom said that she loved him the moment they laid eyes on each other. You've heard people talk about soul mates, right?"

Kagome nodded. She was still wary of him, having no idea what to expect. But she couldn't deny, she was pretty invested in this story.

"Well, every demon has one, but they're just called mates. Some demons live for hundreds of years before they find their mate, like Father did. Sure, he was married, but Mom was his mate. They were connected. And now that they had finally met, they couldn't stand to be apart. Mom described it as this tugging feeling in her stomach that she couldn't ignore. Logic had nothing to do with it.

"They had an affair?" Kagome breathed. What a scandal that must have been! Inuyasha blushed.

"Yeah. Anyway, they somehow managed to keep it a secret until Mom became pregnant with me. Then he decided that he had to come clean with his wife. She was pissed at first, but eventually they agreed that Sesshomaru would inherit everything and I'd be allowed to live quietly with Mom. Sesshomaru wasn't happy, but he wouldn't disobey Father. She never talked about it, but I found out later that even though Mom was still allowed to live in her father's castle, she was shamed and called all sorts of things for being a demon's mistress and having a hanyou bastard. They mistreated me too, calling me half-breed and throwing rocks when they saw me. But while Father was alive, nobody dared do more than that.

Father fought against a dragon demon called Ryukotsusei. He won, but died from his injuries. I was a teenager at the time. Sesshomaru didn't waste any time. The first thing he did was annihilate my grandfather's castle and then try to kill Mom and me.

What Sesshomaru didn't know is that Father had left me something. This sword, the Tessaiga. It's forged from my father's fang and can kill a hundred demons in one stroke. It has a barrier that keeps full demons from holding it. I didn't know at the time, but it helps keep my demon side under control."

"Oh wow." Kagome said, letting her mouth fall open. She wasn't sure what else to say. "So, you managed to defeat Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha laughed bitterly.

"Not even close. I gave the sword to Mom, so the barrier would protect her. All I managed to do was scratch Sesshomaru's face. But apparently, he was impressed that I tried fighting him at all. So, he changed his mind and decided to make me a deal. If I managed to defeat the Thunder Brothers and claim their territory, he'd leave Mom and I alive. I went. I don't know why the spirit of Shippo's old man decided to help me, but if he hadn't, I would have died. I found Shippo by accident afterwards and didn't have the heart to tell him to stop following me. Then, that fucking jackass decided to 'reward' me by naming me Lord of the mountain range. We would live in peace with all the servants he had that didn't mind being ordered around by a half-breed and all he wanted in return is that I come whenever he called.

Ginta, Hakkaku and Koga came into the picture when they begged me to free their tribe from being slaves of some nasty demons called the Birds of Paradise. I did, and they were so grateful that they swore to serve me forever. Miroku just kinda showed up one day and wouldn't leave."

That made Kagome laugh, but Inuyasha's expression told her that there was still plenty more to say, and it wasn't nearly as fun.

"Sesshomaru called me to aid him in a war against a shape-shifting demon named Naraku. Naraku is a sneaky bastard. He had an army of demons that aren't very strong on their own, but he had so many of them. His plan was apparently to destroy Sesshomaru's empire and send Japan into chaos, but I never found out. I never even saw what Naraku looks like. The battlefield I was sent to wasn't very far from the village of demon slayers. And at some point, during the battle, my sword was knocked out of my hands. I blacked out. When I woke up, every demon around me was dead. Hacked to pieces. What Koga said about me is true, I'm ashamed to say. My father's demon blood is too strong for me to control, and when I transform, I'm a monster."

His expression hardened, and his voice shook.

"I was looking for my sword when Sango found me. She said that I had slaughtered every demon slayer in her village, and she was hell-bent on getting revenge. I didn't want to believe it. But I couldn't tell her I didn't do it because I don't know. I took her back to my castle, thinking that if I saved her life, it would atone at least a little for what I might have done.

When I arrived home, my mother was dead."

Kagome gasped and covered her mouth with a shaking hand. Inuyasha stared at his claw-tipped hands, his voice filled with self-loathing.

"Nobody could tell me how she died. The only clue I had is that Shippo told me he saw a ghostly white girl holding a mirror. For a time, I went a little crazy. I searched everywhere for the girl but there was no sign of her. Then it finally hit me. It didn't matter if I found the child and killed her. My mother was gone forever and there was nothing I could do about it."

Kagome felt a stab of pain in her chest and a tear trickled down her face.

"Oh, Inuyasha." She whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Inuyasha chuckled sadly and scrubbed at his dry, but stinging eyes. His voice had become scratchy and raw.

"I'm not done yet. I haven't even gotten to the curse part."

Kagome folded her hands onto her lap to keep from embracing him. She wasn't afraid of him anymore and fully aware that she should have been. He'd admitted to mercilessly killing hundreds upon hundreds of demons and possibly an entire village of humans as well. Maybe she was being foolish, by refusing to believe that Inuyasha would have killed Sango's family, but her heart refused to consider it.

She blinked in surprise, realizing a parallel between the love story of Inuyasha's parents and her own growing feelings for the hanyou. No way. No _way._ Could half-demons even have mates? Oh, she had so many questions! Shaking her head, she met Inuyasha's eyes and ignored her racing heart.

"Please, continue."

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

* * *

 _Fifty years earlier._

Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sound of the gentle knock on his door. He knew refusing to answer wouldn't deter Miroku for long, but it was worth a shot.

"Inuyasha, I know you're awake."

"Go away." Inuyasha replied.

The door slid open and the monk entered. Inuyasha glared at him, but couldn't be bothered to move.

"You can't act like this forever." Miroku said. "It's been weeks and you have responsibilities."

The hanyou snorted and muttered a suggestion as to where his responsibilities could go. He could hear Miroku attempting to keep calm. Apparently, he'd finally managed to succeed in making him angry.

"So, you don't care anymore about the people that live under your protection? Or the servants that swore to stand by you? What about Shippo?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched and Miroku knew he'd struck a nerve.

"That kid loves you like a father. Shippo has already lost so much, is he going to lose you too?"

Inuyasha had a retort on the tip of his tongue. He'd never asked for Shippo to follow him home, the kit had practically adopted him, not the other way around. But even in this state, he couldn't make himself say it. Instead, he settled for telling the monk to go screw himself and rolled over. Miroku exhaled through his nose.

"Fine, keep moping. Your mom would be real proud, I'm sure."

In a split second, Inuyasha snatched up a vase from beside his bed and hurled it at Miroku. It missed hitting him by at least three feet. Miroku knew Inuyasha's aim wasn't that bad, but the message was clear. Stepping over the shards of ceramic, Miroku turned and left. Inuyasha sank back onto his futon and scrubbed at his face.

Of course, Miroku was right, he was acting like a damned child and his vassals didn't deserve it. Least of all, Shippo. Mom had loved the little guy, she'd spent every moment with him. Playing games and teaching him to read. She'd even let Shippo call her Granny, something that had turned into a running joke with the servants. This castle, this title that Sesshomaru had hoped would make him miserable, had felt like a home. And now, everyone tiptoed around him, afraid that he'd do something like, I don't know, throw a vase at them. He hadn't even seen Shippo since hearing about the white girl. He growled and got up.

He found Shippo in the kitchen, trying his best to help prepare dinner.

"Da-Master." He said, bowing with the rest of the servants. Ignoring his embarrassment at doing something so sentimental, he picked up Shippo and hugged him.

"I'm sorry kid."

Shippo's eyes filled with happy tears and he returned the hug with all the strength his little arms could muster.

"Can we go play?" He asked hopefully. Inuyasha growled playfully, tossed the kit in the air and caught him. They walked away, pointedly ignoring the knowing smiles on the servants faces.

In just a few days, the mood around the castle had lifted. Not to where it had been before Izayoi's death, but getting there. Sango stopped acting like a wounded animal and even began saying hello when she and Inuyasha crossed paths. He suspected the monk deserved some credit for that, not to mention an apology. And Shippo's joy was downright contagious. Inuyasha didn't have the endless free time to spend with him that Izayoi had, so Shippo amused himself by helping the servants with their chores. But When Inuyasha was available, Shippo would be found perched on his shoulder and chattering about whatever cool thing he'd seen that day.

After seeing the wolves return with their daily kill, it didn't take long for Shippo to ask to be taught how to hunt.

Inuyasha chose a sunny winter day for Shippo's first lesson; how to hide. He'd spent the walk down the snowy hill ignoring most of the questions Shippo constantly rattled off. But he didn't mind the chatter. Mom never had.

"Ok Shippo," He said, unceremoniously dropping the child into the snow, "I'll give you a one-minute head start, try not to let me catch you." Shippo scrambled towards the trees on all fours, kicking up clouds of snow in the process. Inuyasha shook his head affectionately. He already knew what he'd be addressing first. Silently, he slowly counted to sixty.

He'd barely taken three steps when he heard Shippo shriek. In a silver and red blur, Inuyasha dashed towards the forest. What the hell? Most predators that were worth fearing weren't active at this time of day, that's why he'd picked it! Shippo burst into view, eyes wide with fear. He only had a second to react. Leaping forward, Inuyasha smacked away the arrow that had been about to pierce Shippo's back.

His nostrils flared at the scent. Human. The attacker fired another arrow. A holy arrow this time.

 _Shit!_

He dropped to his knees, shielding Shippo's body with his own. For good measure, he stayed down and let out a fake cry of pain. Snow crunched under the human's feet. Closer...closer…now!

He pounced.

"Get off me, demon!" the woman ordered, glaring at him. She struggled, but he had her wrists in an unbreakable grip.

"Don't order me around." Inuyasha snapped, "You came into my territory and attacked my son, you're going to do what I say." The woman beneath him was quite pretty, he couldn't help but notice. With waist-length black hair, chestnut brown eyes and ivory skin. As if the holy arrow hadn't been proof enough, the red and white robes told him that this woman was a priestess.

"I have no business with you." She sneered. "I'm here to see the demon prince, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow and gave her his cheekiest grin, fangs and all.

"At your service, madam." He drawled. He let her go and got to his feet, kicking away her bow. "What do you want with me?"

The priestess stared at him for a moment. Whatever she had expected, apparently, he wasn't it. Regaining her composure, she got to her knees and bowed respectfully.

"My name is Kikyo. And I'm here to save you."

* * *

Inuyasha knew perfectly well that all the castle residents were hovering outside the room with their ears pressed against the walls, but he'd long given up trying to control the spread of gossip. They needed something to do pass the time, after all. Well, besides their jobs.

Kikyo seemed perfectly at ease, despite being in the presence of castle full of demons. She had her hands folded demurely in front of her, but her eyes were as alert as a hawk's.

"Well I'm listening," Inuyasha said, crossing his arms, "Why do I need saving, and why from you? Are you just feeling super charitable?"

Kikyo's expression remained smooth.

"They call you the demon prince, but I see you're merely a half-demon."

"Watch it." Inuyasha growled. Kikyo raised a hand in a placating gesture

"No offense meant. This is good actually, if you had been a full demon, I would have had to kill you."

Inuyasha flexed his claws and took a threatening step forward.

"Lady, you are really not making a good case for yourself."

Kikyo arched an elegant eyebrow, still irritatingly calm.

"I'm not the one that massacred an army of demons single-handed. Not only that…" Inuyasha's bared fangs made her change tactics.

"In any case, I thought it was the doings of an out of control demon that would have to be put down. But now that I know you're a half-demon, I may not have to be so drastic."

Inuyasha snorted derisively. He disliked this woman, yet was intrigued by her at the same time. She was certainly brave.

"Oh sure," He retorted, "Drastic like attacking a demon fox-pup that couldn't have hurt you if he tried?"

"I'm a priestess. I slay demons. But I will apologize, I wasn't aware that an inu-hanyou had a kitsune pup."

"He's adopted." Inuyasha muttered, hating the blush that rose to his cheeks. Why they hell was he embarrassed anyway? Stupid woman. "Will you just explain how you plan to 'save' me, then?"

A small smile toyed on Kikyo's lips then, reminding him of a cat that had just spied a tasty looking bird.

"I'm a very powerful priestess. If you let me, I can help you control your demon blood. I can make sure that you never lose yourself again."

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

* * *

 _Fifty Years Earlier_

"That's impossible." Inuyasha said.

"I assure you, it's not." Kikyo replied smoothly. "But it is a lot to think about and not something that can be done quickly."

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side.

"You gonna tell me how it works?" He asked, attempting to hide his intrigue with sarcasm. Kikyo moved towards him, keeping her eyes on his. Her gentle scent reached his noise and he gulped.

"It's simple." She murmured, "If you allow me to stay, my miko-aura will balance out your demonic-one. Your human side will retain almost full control."

There were two things that Inuyasha was absolutely _not_ in control of right now; his racing heart and his stirring groin.

"I'll think about it." Inuyasha said tightly, "You can stay the night as a guest." He raised his voice loud enough for the servants to hear, even if they hadn't already been hiding outside the room. They bustled in, escorting Kikyo to her chambers. Refusing to look at anyone, Inuyasha strode past them and to his room.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" He growled at his crotch once he'd shut the door. Thank the kami she hadn't noticed, or she might change her mind about him needing to be put down. Sure, he'd reached mating age and it was spring, and she was _very_ pretty, but damn it! The last thing he needed was to start lusting after a priestess. He didn't actually like her; she was the most condescending person he'd ever met. So, what the hell?

Mating season lust, he decided. That was the only explanation.

He hated spring. In all his life, only two people had ever loved him. His mother, and his adopted son. But, as much as it pained him, they weren't enough. Spring was a yearly reminder that he would never find a mate. Female demons valued power, seeking a mate that could provide them with a comfortable lifestyle. Yeah, he was a prince, but all that got him was tolerance, at best. Most demons had figured out that his title was little more than Sesshomaru's idea of a joke. That left human women, and they were terrified of him.

He paused.

Was that why his body had responded the way it had? Kikyo hadn't been afraid of him. She'd looked him in the eye and even approached him. And, patronising tone aside, she'd seen him as someone worth investing time and effort.

It felt good.

* * *

"I'll allow you to stay." Inuyasha announced the next morning. He'd called all the staff together to hear the announcement. "I thought it over. I already have a holy man living here, but that holy man is Miroku." Miroku's fake exclamation of outrage almost made him laugh. He forced his face to remain as neutral as possible. The kitchen ladies didn't bother trying. Even Sango couldn't hide the amused twinkle in her eye.

"The point is," He said loudly, silencing the giggles, "your presence will be an asset it would be foolish to pass up."

Kikyo bowed gracefully.

"Thank you, my Lord. You are very kind."

She kept her eyes respectfully lowered, but he saw an impish smile tugging at her lips. It made her look mischievous and coy and damn it, not again! He dropped his arms to his sides, grateful for the draping sleeves.

"This audience is over. Return to what you were doing."

The staff filed out. Miroku hovered by the door until Sango dragged him out by the ear. Then it was only Kikyo left in the room with him. For the first time since meeting her, she seemed almost nervous.

"I couldn't help but notice," She said shyly, "the artwork in the guest room is exquisite. I love cherry trees."

"Thank you." Inuyasha replied. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, mulling over what to say next. "I painted it as a gift to my mother."

* * *

 _Present time_

"You painted that?" Kagome gasped. "I had no idea!" Inuyasha chuckled uncomfortably, turning faintly pink.

"People don't think 'artist' when they see me." He said, "I, uh, had no friends as a kid, so I learned to read and paint to pass the time." He cleared his throat and continued his story before Kagome's expression could look any more pitying.

"I'll spare you the details, but over a few weeks, we became friends and eventually I realized that I'd fallen in love with Kikyo. I even dared to think to think she might love me too. That's when it all went wrong."

* * *

 _Fifty years earlier_

Inuyasha knew right away something wasn't right. Kikyo had long since dropped her high and mighty way of speaking to him, and this was the first time he'd seen her looking so pensive and uncomfortable.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Kikyo blushed and averted her eyes.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, I can't stay here any longer. I need to go."

Without thinking, Inuyasha crossed the dining hall and took Kikyo's hand in his.

"Why? Is it something I did?"

"No," Kikyo whispered, keeping her gaze on the floor, "It's my fault. A priestess should know better than to want something she can't have."

Inuyasha's heart roared in his ears, making Kikyo's voice sound muffled and distorted. Was he understanding her correctly? Did she really mean what he thought she did? One way to find out.

"Kikyo, I love you!" Inuyasha blurted out.

Kikyo looked at him in shock, and another emotion he couldn't quite place. Sadness? Regret? Her shaking hand reached up to delicately touch his face. He leaned his cheek into her palm.

"Why do you have to go?" He pressed.

"I'm a priestess," she explained, her voice full of sorrow, "I cannot be with a demon. It's impossible."

"But I'm not a demon," Inuyasha protested weakly, "I'm a half-demon."

Kikyo's mouth formed a thoughtful 'o' and an idea sparked to life in her eyes.

"That's right. There is a way!" She stepped closer to him, leaving only a few inches between them and placed a hand over his wildly beating heart. "Inuyasha. If you allow me to fully purify your demon half, you'll become a man! And we can be together for the rest of our days."

He kissed her. The feeling of her lips against his was unfamiliar and a bit strange, but by no means bad. Her hand tightened in the fabric over his heart. He broke the kiss and pulled her into a tight embrace, murmuring her name.

He had to be dreaming. It was everything he'd ever wanted; a wife and his freedom from his duties as a demon prince. Not to mention there'd never be any chance of turning full demon and hurting anyone ever again.

But…

What about Shippo? How could he protect his surrogate son without his demon powers? How would he protect anyone? His vassals and all the humans that lived in his territory had only his name to protect them. Without that, what would happen to them? How could he leave them with nothing and care only for his own happiness? What would Mom say?

"Kikyo, I can't." He told her, stepping back so he could look her in the eye. "I love you, but I can't become human." Kikyo shook her head slowly in disbelief.

"Inuyasha," she beseeched, "Think about the kind of life you've led, and the things you've done. I am here, and I am willing to have you! Do you really think you'll find that again?"

She had a point. As much as it pained him. She had a point. Still, something in her words made him feel angry and defensive.

"Yes, I do." He insisted. Another thought occurred to him and he backed away from her. His instincts were suddenly whispering to him that he was in danger. "This was your aim from the beginning, wasn't it?"

He waited for her to deny it. She didn't.

"Don't be a fool Inuyasha." Kikyo snapped, "Do you honestly think that even fifty years from now, anyone else will accept a half-demon?"

Inuyasha ground his teeth, urging himself to stay calm.

"Yes." He growled.

Kikyo's lovely face turned nasty.

"Fine."

* * *

 _Present day_

"When I realized she'd cursed me, I was so angry that I threw her out of the castle without her weapons. It's almost impossible for a human to make it back to the village unarmed, but at the time I didn't care. I just knew that if I didn't get her out of my sight, I was going to attack her.

A day or two later, after I'd calmed down, I felt a little guilty. So, I sent Koga to go find out if she'd made it back. When he returned, he told me he'd found her corpse half-devoured by wolves." Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to finish his confession.

"I might as well have killed her. I should have at least let her take her weapons. But I was so angry and hurt I…"

Kagome threw her arms around him. He could feel her hot tears against his neck.

"I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that." Her shoulders trembled and her grip around him tightened. Inuyasha was surprised, but he let her hug him. No one had ever said he deserved the curse, not to his face at least. But she was the first to say that he hadn't.

"I'll come home with you," She said, pulling back and wiping her eyes.

"Really?" Inuyasha asked hopefully. Kagome nodded, smiling.

"To break the curse, you need me to fall in love with you, right?"

Inuyasha blinked and Kagome quickly clarified.

"I can't say I'm there yet, but with a bit more time…" She tipped her head to the side, confused by the sudden pain in his eyes. "Inuyasha? Are you ok?" He jumped and blushed.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's uh, where I'm at too." He answered. An awkward moment of silence passed.

"You swear that's everything?" Kagome pressed.

It took everything he had to look her in the eye.

"Yes. That's everything."

The lie left a bitter taste in his mouth.

* * *

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me.

I'd like to take a moment to thank you for reading, favouriting, following, reviewing and all around making my day! Until I rediscovered my Inuyasha obsession, I hadn't written any Fanfiction in years and now I can't stop! Hope that's ok with you!

* * *

Shippo was inconsolable. Sango had been trying to comfort the sobbing child for hours now, but there was only so much she could say without straight-up lying to him. No one had seen what happened. Sango and Miroku had heard the commotion and rushed to see what was wrong. They'd found Inuyasha alone in the dining hall, standing by the upended table and looking sickened with himself. Sango hadn't asked any questions, turning on her heel and going straight to Kagome's room to check on her. Her stomach had dropped at the realization that Kagome was gone. In all her years of knowing him, Sango had never seen Inuyasha look so frightened. He hadn't even stopped to put on shoes.

By this time, everyone in the castle knew something was wrong. Sango had shut down all questions, ordering the wolf demons to go look for them and having the kitchen staff get a warm meal prepared. Miroku, bless him, had kept Shippo distracted until Sango finished giving the orders, but they couldn't deter the kit for long.

At the words "Inuyasha went to look for Kagome," Shippo had dissolved into tears.

So, there they were, Miroku stood vigil at the door, keeping a keen eye out for their missing master while Sango let Shippo sob into her kimono.

"They're back!" She heard Miroku shout. Shippo wriggled free of her grip and dashed to the door.

"Father!" He cried, running outside and clambering up Inuyasha's pants and burying his face in his chest. Sango sagged against Miroku's side, grateful for his support. Inuyasha was back, mostly unharmed, though his white shirt sleeve was an alarming shade of red. On his back, draped in his suikan, was Kagome. She slid to the ground so Inuyasha could properly greet Shippo.

"Everything's ok runt," he soothed, wrapping an arm around the trembling child, "I'm not hurt."

"I'm sorry Shippo," Kagome added earnestly, "I promise I'm not going anywhere." The kit only hiccuped in response.

Inuyasha pried off Shippo's death grip and held him at eye level.

"Kagome is really cold and really hungry; can you go see if the kitchen has anything?" Shippo nodded eagerly and darted away.

With his arms free again, Inuyasha swept Kagome off her feet and carried her inside, nodding to Sango and Miroku as he passed. Kagome's smile was sheepish. The clear relief on Sango's face made her feel guilty and even a little silly for her panicked reaction. But only a little. Inuyasha had apologized again during the journey home, reassuring her again that he'd been the one out of line. She rested her head against his chest, sighing at the soothing sound of his steady heartbeat. He turned down the hallway and slid open the door to her bedroom. Stepping inside, he used his foot to close the door behind him. He gently put Kagome down.

She had a split second to catch her balance before Inuyasha cupped her face and pressed a searing kiss against her lips that left her breathless. When they broke apart, he pulled her into a rib-crushing hug. Kagome's heart began to race, and she felt a tugging in her stomach. Wrapping her arms around him in return, she took a deep breath, inhaling his comforting scent.

"You owe me." Inuyasha mumbled against her shoulder. He pulled back, so she could see the mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Do I?" Kagome asked, trying to ignore the tingle that his roguish grin had sent through her body.

"Yes. You cost me a night's sleep, a shirt and a broken arm."

"I'm so sorry," Kagome cooed, "How can I make it up to you?" Her hand drifted down to Inuyasha's groin and she stroked him through his pants. With a naughty grin of her own, Kagome latched onto Inuyasha's neck and suckled it as she continued to tease him. He purred and leaned against the door for support. She stopped for a moment, but only to tug his shirt free and slide it down his shoulders. Taking advantage of her distraction, he growled playfully and pushed her down to the ground. The bed was too far away, he decided, capturing Kagome's lips with another kiss. The musky scent of her arousal filled his sensitive nose, and his erection strained against his pants. He ground his hips against her. Kagome moaned, eagerly exploring his mouth with her tongue.

Without breaking the kiss, Inuyasha unfastened her robes and spread them open, running his greedy hands over her smooth skin. His claws brushed her belly, making her giggle and squirm beneath him. Her hands found their way to the sash of his hakama and she made quick work of untying it and freeing his hardened length. She couldn't be bothered to push the pants down all the way, wrapping a hand around his length and guiding it to her entrance. He groaned and latched onto her earlobe, nibbling and sucking.

He pushed into her and Kagome whimpered, digging her nails into his arms. Aroused as she was, he was a lot to take.

"Inuyasha…Inuyasha…" she begged, rocking her hips towards him. He growled and withdrew, just so he could experience the bliss of entering her again and again. Every thrust had Kagome seeing stars. When she seemed short of breath, he stopped to give her a break.

But Kagome didn't need a break.

"Lie down." She ordered, holding back a squeal of delight when he obeyed. Straddling him, she ran her fingers through her hair, trailing down to her breasts where she pinched and teased her nipples before continuing down. Inuyasha's glowing eyes followed every move she made, dipping down to her womanhood. Kagome placed a hand on his chest, a silent order for him not to move.

Never taking her eyes from his, Kagome slowly lowered herself down onto his erection. His purple demon crests were back, vivid purple against his sweaty skin. He was panting, fangs bared. He was powerful, even dangerous at times. And he was completely at her mercy. She liked that very, _very_ much.

"Not yet," She murmured, running her fingers down his muscular arms.

"Kagome," he rumbled, but there was a note of pleading in his voice. With an impish grin, Kagome took a fuzzy ear in each hand and rubbed.

Inuyasha snarled and thrust as deeply into her as he could go. Kagome leaned forward to kiss him, moaning her appreciation into his mouth. The white- hot pleasure of their climax began to build and Kagome pinned Inuyasha's arms above his head.

Kagome threw her head back and cried out when her orgasm wracked her body. She sensed Inuyasha was close and tightened her grip. With a howl, Inuyasha released everything he had into her body. Kagome rolled off him and for a moment they lay together side by side, trying to catch their breath.

"Are you ok?" Inuyasha asked, pushing an errant strand of hair away from Kagome's face.

She nodded and pressed a kiss against his shoulder. Her stomach rumbled, and she blushed. Inuyasha blushed and sat up.

"Go lie down, I'll get us something to eat." He dressed, only bothering with his pants, kissed her once more and left.

To his dismay, almost every resident of the castle had assembled in the kitchen, all wearing expressions ranging from innocent curiosity (Shippo) to openly lecherous (Miroku).

"Hello Master," Miroku said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "Is it safe to assume that you and Kagome have made up?"

"Yes." Inuyasha replied delicately. The kitchen erupted into applause and bawdy cheers that had Inuyasha blushing scarlet and frantically trying to silence them.

"Shut up! Shut up!" he hissed, "Sound travels in this place!"

"We know." Sango quipped, causing another round of giggles. Shippo had no idea what was so funny, but he didn't want to feel left out, so he laughed along with everyone else.

He muttered all the way back to his room, calling his vassals every curse word he knew. But he didn't have the heart to ruin their fun.

"Kagome, I hope you like stew!" He called, sliding the door open.

What he saw stopped him cold. The tray of stew clattered to the ground. It must have made a sound, but Inuyasha barely heard it.

Koga, holding the untransformed Tessaiga against Kagome's throat.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine

* * *

"Take one step and I'll slit her throat." Koga said calmly, as if they were discussing the weather. Inuyasha bunched his shaking hands into fists. The pain of his claws digging into his palms helped to keep him from transforming out of sheer rage. While he had been gone, Kagome had draped herself loosely in his fire-rat robe, but with her arms locked behind her back, the robe had fallen open. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and her brown eyes were wide with fear.

 _Help me._ She silently begged. Friend or not, Koga was going to pay for humiliating her like this.

"Koga, I don't know what the hell you're thinking, but you better let her go. Now."

The wolf laughed, baring his fangs.

"What do you plan to do about it, half-breed?"

Inuyasha growled from deep in his chest. As if threatening his mate wasn't bad enough, no one called him half-breed and got away unharmed. His hands went slack as a thought struck him. Why hadn't he realized it earlier?

"You're not Koga." He whispered.

Kagome gasped in shock. What the hell was going on?

"A full demon like Koga can't even pick up my Tessaiga." Inuyasha continued, "Not only that, wolves are loyal; Koga is a royal pain in the ass, but he'd never do this. So, _who the hell are you?_ "

Kagome's captor threw back his head and laughed. The sound made her skin crawl.

"Very clever Inuyasha, I was starting to think you'd never figure it out." Koga's appearance rippled, like a disturbed reflection in a pond. When it settled, the pony-tailed wolf demon was gone, replaced by a man with blood-red eyes and long wavy hair. His voice made Kagome feel like there was a spider walking up and down her spine, looking for the perfect place to bite. Inuyasha's face was a mix of fury, shock and horror.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am,"

"Naraku." Inuyasha snarled, "I thought Sesshomaru had killed you."

"Ah yes," Naraku replied conversationally, "Unfortunately for you, not even the mighty Lord Sesshomaru can kill someone he can't find. But you know what that's like, don't you? By the way, my daughter Kanna thoroughly enjoyed meeting your mother."

Kagome's blood went cold. At those words, Inuyasha's anger turned to grief and his legs nearly gave out.

"It was you," He whispered brokenly, "You killed my mother." Wicked delight danced in Naraku's crimson eyes. The sword was pressed so closely against her neck, she didn't dare move, but Kagome could feel how much this vile Naraku was enjoying this.

"Not only that, your good friend Koga too." He feigned a sympathetic smile, "He never came back from that little errand you sent him on. I suppose it's time you knew; Kikyo and I were lovers."

Inuyasha stepped back like he'd been slapped, slowly shaking his head in disbelief.

"I convinced her that you were unpredictable and dangerous, and that by getting you out of the way and allowing me to take your place, it would be for the greater good. We didn't expect you to be smart." The hands that kept Kagome trapped began burn like brands and genuine rage laced his tone.

"I found her, half-eaten and dying in the forest. With her last breaths, she told me about the curse she'd set upon you. I saw the opportunity to have some fun, and I took it."

"You son of a bitch." Inuyasha breathed, "Why?!"

Naraku's nasty grin widened.

"Why not?"

The next few seconds felt like they happened in slow-motion. Naraku grabbed Kagome by the hair and laved his tongue against her neck. Kagome whimpered and recoiled in disgust. Inuyasha's expression went blank. Through her half-lidded and tear-filled eyes, Kagome saw a pulsing red glow surround Inuyasha's entire body.

Suddenly, Naraku roughly shoved her away from him, and she hit the ground at Inuyasha's feet with a grunt of pain. Shaking with fear, she looked up at her hanyou. But he was gone.

His tender honey-coloured eyes had turned a deep, glowing red with icy blue centres. His lips were drawn back in a vicious grin, showing his enlarged and deadly looking fangs. He looked down at her, without a hint of recognition and flexed his claws. She didn't need anyone to explain that this was the demon form that Inuyasha loathed. The monster that killed anything that moved. Like this, she was nothing to him.

"Inuyasha, please don't," Kagome whispered. He lowered into a crouch and sprang. Kagome flinched, expecting his claws to rip into her delicate flesh. When the pain never came, she whirled around just in time to see Inuyasha slash at Naraku, knocking the sword out of his hand. Naraku's arm morphed into an insect-like appendage with wickedly sharp pincers at the end and the room began to fill with a purple gas that made Kagome cough and gasp. Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sound and with a furious snarl of rage, he tackled Naraku, sending the pair crashing through the sliding door to the outdoor terrace and out of sight.

* * *

Kagome was only drinking the tea because Sango had insisted. Sango and Miroku had come running when they'd heard the commotion, but all they'd found was Kagome, on the ground half-dressed and trembling. Seeing their horrified expressions had brought Kagome back to her senses, now realizing exactly what this looked like. Blushing, Kagome had tied Inuyasha's robe into a makeshift dress and insisted that he was innocent of any wrongdoing. Her stomach twisted. Whatever was happening between Inuyasha and Naraku, they were too far away for her to hear. Or they were both dead. Kagome's grip on the teacup tightened and she tried to steady her breathing. Thanks to the gaping hole in the wall, she was freezing, but refused to leave the bedroom. Sango had ordered Miroku to stay with her while she rallied the staff to action. She hadn't gone into detail, but Kagome suspected that she was having everyone be ready to protect themselves, no matter who the victor was.

Between sips, Kagome explained everything that had happened in a dull, lifeless voice. Miroku listened, never once interrupting.

"I have no words." He murmured when she finished. His violet eyes were sorrowful. Everyone around him joked about how corrupt he was, especially by the standards of a monk, but this? Dedicating fifty years to emotionally torturing someone before you killed them when they weren't even your real enemy? It was beyond comprehension. The one speck of light he could find in all of this, was that Koga had died with his honour intact. But he couldn't help feeling guilty and sick that Koga's death had gone unnoticed by everyone for so long. He could only imagine how Inuyasha would feel when he came back. If he came back.

Sango entered, wearing a black and pink suit of armour with her hair tied back in a ponytail and carrying a boomerang larger than she was.

"Kagome, are you doing alright?" She asked kindly.

Kagome could only shake her head.

Their only warning was Ginta's startled shout from outside.

Inuyasha leapt onto the remains of Kagome's terrace and landed in a crouch with his head bowed.

 _He's alive._

She stood, wanting to run and embrace him, but Sango and Miroku blocked her path, faces set with determination.

"Stay back Kagome." Sango ordered quietly, "But don't make any sudden moves."

Inuyasha straightened and lifted his gaze to theirs. Kagome's eyes filled with horrified tears. He was bleeding heavily from a laceration in his stomach and his skin was marred with bruises and bleeding cuts. His eyes glowed a dull red and his lips were pulled back in a quivering snarl.

He took a step forward.

"Inuyasha, don't come any closer." Miroku pleaded, "You don't want to do this."

He took another step. His eyes were fixed on Kagome, but they didn't look right. Blood trickled to the floor as he walked, leaving a trail behind him.

Sango angled herself in front of Kagome, readying her weapon for battle.

"You will never forgive yourself if you don't stop." Miroku tried again.

Inuyasha growled, but Kagome didn't feel threatened by it. When she'd been living in the forest and hunting for her food, she'd seen wounded animals make one last bid for their survival by trying to intimidate her. She gasped and pushed past Sango, taking the slayer by surprise.

She reached him just as his eyes rolled back and he fell into her arms. Kagome's arms shook under his weight and she sank to her knees. Within seconds, his blood had soaked through her clothing. She'd never been a squeamish person, and she felt no disgust.

"It's ok Inuyasha, I've got you." Kagome crooned, holding him tightly, "You're safe now."

* * *

She lost track of how long it took for them to clean and bandage his wounds and get him into bed. As they worked, the purple crests on his cheeks had faded away. His claws and fangs slowly shrank back to normal and once in a while, she caught a glimpse of an unfocused strip of amber as he drifted in and out of consciousness. She grabbed another cloth from the stack a determined Shippo had brought her and pressed it against Inuyasha's stomach, wincing at how quickly the fabric became saturated with red.

 _I'm no expert, but why won't he stop bleeding?_

Her sentiments were echoed out loud by Miroku. Sango chewed on her thumb, wracking her brain for an answer.

Inuyasha coughed, making everyone jump. He slowly raised a hand to his head and chuckled bitterly at the handful of his hair, now a stormy grey.

"I understand now," he murmured to himself, "Kikyo…you bitch."

"No." Miroku whispered. "You don't mean."

Inuyasha nodded turning his sorrowful gaze to Kagome.

"I'm out of time."

* * *

TBC

A/N: I'm so sorry, I don't write fighting very well! Hope you enjoyed anyway!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

* * *

Kagome didn't bother to wipe away the shocked and angry tears that sprang to her eyes.

"What the hell do you mean you're out of time?!" She exclaimed. "You swore you told me everything, you son of a bitch! You lied to me?!"

Inuyasha only looked at her. He'd let her yell if that's what she needed to do. Shout, scream, hit him, it didn't matter. Even if she hated him after this, she was safe, and she was alive. He rested his hand atop hers, looking deeply into her beautiful eyes.

"I didn't want you to feel pressured or guilty." He explained softly, "I had no way of knowing what would happen if we didn't break the curse in time, so I decided to just enjoy my last day with you."

Kagome bowed her head and squeezed her eyes shut, gripping the edge of Inuyasha's robe. She was furious, and wanted to tear him a new one for lying to her. But he was right. Feeling obligated to fall in love with him would have completely missed the point.

"You're not healing because you're turning human." Sango said quietly, realization dawning on her face, "Is that right?" He nodded.

"That's what Kikyo intended all along. When she cursed me, she said I had fifty years to 'do it my way'." Inuyasha's body tensed and he coughed, sending blood trickling down his chin. He felt a twinge of sadness when he couldn't find the strength to wipe it away.

"Sango," He rasped, "I have to tell you. Your village, I…" He blinked in surprise when the slayer interrupted him with a firm shake of her head.

"No. No, it wasn't you." She insisted. "You're my friend, Inuyasha."

They locked eyes in silent understanding. Inuyasha eventually managed a weak smile. He looked at Miroku.

"Miroku. You're a damn pervert and I don't know why Sango puts up with you."

The monk gave a bitter snort of amusement and wrapped an arm around Sango's waist. There wasn't a trace of his perpetual smile on his face and there was a tightness around his eyes that Sango had never seen before. She considered offering to fetch Shippo, knowing the child would likely want to bid his father-figure goodbye. But she also knew that this wasn't how Inuyasha wanted to be remembered, broken and bleeding on the floor. No, treating injuries was one thing, but watching someone you love die was another thing entirely and Shippo didn't need to see it.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked gently. She'd been completely silent for the last minute or two, staring down at her white knuckles. She bit her lip, trying her best to keep some kind of composure. When the bandits had attacked and life as she'd known it had been obliterated, she hadn't had the time for goodbyes or last words. But she would never forget the feeling of powerlessness that had consumed her as she'd blindly dashed through the forest. That had been the worst part. The knowledge that there was nothing she could have done to save the ones she loved. She never wanted to feel that way again, so for years, she'd done her best to keep everyone at a distance. But despite her efforts, two people had gotten through to her. First Kaede. And now the hanyou that lay dying before her.

"If you're feeling sorry, don't." He told her, when she didn't reply, "I shouldn't have expected you to fall in love with me after only a week. It's not your fault, it was too much to ask." He took a deep rattling breath and closed his eyes.

"It wasn't too much to ask!" Kagome burst out desperately, "I love you, Inuyasha!"

He didn't respond. His gentle grip on her hand went slack.

"No." Kagome breathed. "No, no, no!" She grabbed another cloth and pressed it against Inuyasha's stomach. She was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"I don't understand!" She wailed, "The curse should have broken, why isn't everything fixed?!" Sango wiped her cheeks and rested a hand on Kagome's shaking shoulder.

"Even with his hanyou healing powers, he's still very badly poisoned."

Of course! How could she have been so stupid? If only she'd had time and ingredients to prepare a medicine! Kagome whirled and clasped Sango's hands in hers.

"Please," she begged, "Do something! There has to be a way."

The barely-there rise and fall of Inuyasha's chest was the only thing keeping her from total panic.

Sango exhaled in frustration, mentally digging through all her demon-related knowledge.

"My family and I once exterminated a nest of bird demons that were sucking human blood to dilute poison," she said hesitantly, "If it's not too late, it might help him. But the amount he'd need is more than one person can give."

Without another word, Miroku and Kagome rolled up their sleeves.

* * *

When it was done, Kagome requested some private time with him. The monk and slayer agreed, but didn't go far.

"Miroku," Sango said quietly as they walked down the hall with their hands linked, "I fear that we are bad friends."

Miroku's sad violet orbs told her he felt the same.

"He's been nothing but good to us, for years. And the moment he needed us most, we assumed he was dangerous and would try to hurt Kagome. I feel like if he survives, we should apologize."

Miroku squeezed Sango's hand comfortingly,

"If that's what you want. But if he does pull through, I think the best thing we can do to prove our loyalty is to stay with him."

Sango smiled gratefully and rested her head against Miroku's shoulder. Despite his comforting words, a troubling thought crossed Miroku's mind.

 _I will never know exactly what Kikyo said. Did the curse specify that someone needed to fall in love with Inuyasha? Or merely love and accept him fully as a half-demon? Is it possible that Sango and I could have ended this long ago, if only we had been better friends to him? If we hadn't spent so much time trying to hide Shippo from Inuyasha's demon half, could he have been the one to save him?_

 _I'm so sorry, my friend. Please pull through this so we can make it up to you._

* * *

Inuyasha opened his bleary eyes. He still felt awful, but breathing no longer felt like he was being stabbed with a knife. Now breathing felt like being punched in the chest. Much better. His nose twitched when something tickled it. It looked like a head of thick black hair. The comforting weight on his abdomen and a feminine whimper told him that Kagome had her head tucked under his chin. Slowly and carefully, he wound his arms around the sleeping girl.

 _Huh. My claws are back._ _That's nice._

Curious, he dragged his tongue over the tip of his elongated canines. He had his fangs again too. He felt strangely calm, almost like the buzz he felt on the rare occasions Miroku had convinced him to drink.

 _Maybe I'm dead? Nah, that would mean Kagome is dead too and she better not be. Is that what almost dying feels like then? I already said my goodbyes, what am I still doing here?_

His nose picked up the sharp tang of blood that wasn't his. Kagome's?

 _What the hell?_

As if sensing he was awake, Kagome stirred in his arms. She pulled back, eyes wide and hopeful, but her complexion was ashen.

"How are you feeling? Did it work?" She asked, clasping his face in her hands.

"I'm confused." He mumbled, "Are you hurt?"

Kagome shook her head and rolled up her sleeve to show him her bandaged forearm.

"Sango said human blood might dilute the poison in your system enough for your hanyou healing abilities to work. I gave you as much as I could, then Miroku took over."

Inuyasha blinked a few times, trying to collect his thoughts. He didn't remember anything after telling Kagome not to feel guilty. He felt a little embarrassed by the thought of unconsciously feeding off his friends like an infant, but he couldn't exactly complain.

"You saved me?" He asked.

"Looks like it." She replied breathlessly. "That's not even the best part! Look!" She guided his gaze towards the hole in her wall and the view it provided of outside. Inuyasha's mouth dropped open in shock. He was afraid to blink, worried that it was a vision that would vanish in an instant.

Spring.

The sky outside was light blue, without a cloud anywhere to be seen. Grass and small wildflowers covered the ground, swaying gently in the warm breeze. He slowly looked back at her grinning face.

"My curse…"

"It's gone." A joyful tear slipped from her warm brown eyes. "And yes, that does mean what you think it means." She blushed, "I couldn't let my mate go without a fight."

In a sudden burst of energy, Inuyasha pulled himself upright and wrapped his arms around her.

"Kagome," He whispered, "thank you. Thank you."

She would have responded with something romantic, but their sweet moment was promptly interrupted by joyous cries of "Inuyasha!" and "Father!" Sango knelt by his side, eyes welling up with relieved tears. Even Miroku was sniffling a little.

Shippo launched through the air, landing on Inuyasha's head.

"You're alive!" He cried, burying his face in Inuyasha's snowy hair. Inuyasha and Kagome shared a look. Grinning, Inuyasha plucked the kitsune off and dropped him on his lap.

"Not just that runt, the curse is gone, and Kagome is staying here."

Shippo's eyes lit up and he looked to Kagome.

"Forever." She confirmed.

* * *

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Inuyasha isn't mine.

A/N: This is it everybody, the last chapter! Thank you so much to everyone that read, reviewed, favourited, followed and enjoyed! A particular thank you to a Guest for reminding me that I hadn't finished this one quite yet, so here you go!

* * *

The next few days seemed to blend together. Despite their reclaimed freedom, not a single vassal had left, choosing instead to repair and brighten up their home. Shippo spent hours frolicking in the grass and enjoying the sun's warmth. Sango and Miroku were excitedly making wedding plans and, Sango had admitted shyly, going to try having a baby. Inuyasha was still on the mend, but under Kagome's attentive care, she was sure he'd be back on his feet in no time. Kagome could find no other way to describe the change than to say it was as if a dark cloud had been lifted from the castle. Well, for most people.

She slid the door open and carefully carried a fresh poultice and a bundle of fresh strips of linen for bandages. Inuyasha was sitting up and offered her a shy smile. Not much had been said, since the revelation that the curse had been broken. His immediate reaction of joy and disbelief had been expected, but he had quickly faded back to a state of almost melancholy. He was a co-operative patient, and he would answer politely when spoken to, but that was exactly what made it weird to her. After everything they'd been through, why did he seem so uneasy around her? Her feelings had been backed up by remarks from Miroku and Sango that such formality usually meant he was troubled by something and didn't want people to ask. Miroku had joked that Inuyasha using good manners was just plain uncomfortable; he'd rather be yelled at. They hadn't talked about much, other than his health.

"How are you feeling?" Kagome asked, kneeling beside him.

"I'm fine," He muttered in response, "Can I get up yet?"

"How the hell should I know?" Kagome asked, hoping her teasing tone and foul language would ease the tension. "I've never had a poisoned half-demon for a patient before."

"Keh." Despite the petulant look on his face, he obediently stayed still while Kagome changed his bandages. He did look much better; the wound was almost completely closed, and the surrounding skin was only a little more purple than it should have been. Kagome knew she should hope that it wouldn't scar, but if she was being honest, she thought scars were sexy. But that was hardly the issue here. Something was bothering her beloved hanyou and she wanted to know what it was.

"Inuyasha? Are you alright?"

He blinked, snapping out of the faraway look he'd had a moment ago.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah." Kagome raised an eyebrow. Somehow, she wasn't convinced. Thankfully, he gave in without a fight, for once.

"Ok, fine." He grumbled, "I've been thinking about something." He took her hand and explained why he'd been acting this way and what he wanted to do about it. When he finished, Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes and kissed him gently on the lips.

* * *

A day later, everything was prepared. All the castle residents gathered at dusk, dressed in their best. Inuyasha cleared his throat nervously.

"I'm crap at speeches, as you all know." He began, rousing a giggle from the crowd. "But I'll try. I know you've all heard some version of the story, but I wanted to make things clear."

"We are here today, to pay our respects. Fifty years ago, I sent Koga to check on Kikyo after I kicked her out. He was found and murdered by a monster named Naraku. This bastard took Koga's appearance and took his place here at the castle, biding his time and doing what he could to screw me over. Koga's reward for his loyalty was to die alone and unnoticed in the forest for fifty fucking years."

Shippo buried his face into Kagome's shoulder. Sango and Miroku joined hands, their expressions solemn. Kagome wrapped her arms comfortingly around the child, but her eyes were on Inuyasha. His eyes may have been dry, but his voice betrayed his grief. Inuyasha turned to the funeral pyre they'd constructed.

"You may have been a pain in the ass, but you deserved better, Koga. I'm sorry. One day, I'll find Naraku again and make him pay. I swear."

On cue, Ginta and Hakkaku approached, each holding a flaming torch.

"To Koga," They whispered together, lighting the pyre. The mountain wind fanned the flames into a roaring bonfire that lit up the darkening sky. The wolves threw back their heads and howled. Around them, hidden by the gently swaying trees, other wolves joined in, creating a beautiful by haunting harmony.

Kagome made her way to where Inuyasha was standing and entwined her hand with his. Shippo clambered onto his head.

"That was perfect," She told him quietly, gazing at the flames. "I think he would have approved." Inuyasha exhaled, guilt still evident on his face.

"Naraku managed to mimic Koga's personality, appearance, even his scent. But I still feel like I should have figured it out sooner." He squeezed Kagome's hand, "This was the least I could do."

Kagome couldn't think of anything to say, so she didn't. He was still healing in more ways than one. As much as she wanted to start talking about marriage and children with him, she could wait. There was no need to rush.

They had time.

FIN

* * *

Thank you, thank you again! I'm on a bit of an AU kick at the moment, stay tuned for my next one: Hanyou of the Opera! (May change title)

Enjoy!


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